


Farewell To Love

by harleyquinn25



Series: Love in the underworld [4]
Category: Corpse Bride (2005)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crying, Depression, Drama, Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Love, Love Confessions, Men Crying, Murder, Past Relationship(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Drama, References to Depression, Relationship(s), Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Teenage Drama, True Love, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:28:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 43,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28424739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harleyquinn25/pseuds/harleyquinn25
Summary: credit to VioletRose13-Art for helping me write this and stormqueen93 for giving me the title and unimportantweirdo for helping me fix this
Relationships: Victor Van Dort/Emily, Victor Van Dort/Victoria Everglot
Series: Love in the underworld [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2067657
Comments: 97
Kudos: 4





	1. Prologue Emily's Death

Eighteen year old Emily Merrimack stood shivering by the old oak tree. scanning the dark foggy woods with her big blue eyes. Her long thick wavy brown hair blew around her in the chilly wind as did her glazy veil that was attached to a crown of flowers. _Where the fuck is he? Barkis said a quarter to three and it's a quarter to three now. He should be here by now!_ She was waiting for her new fiancé, one Lord Barkis Bittern; they were going to run away and elope that very night because Emily's father didn't approve of their marriage. _He is such an asshole._ Emily sulked, sitting down and dropping the sack of gold next to her and laying her bouquet of roses, lilies, and babies' breath flowers in her lap. _Ever since mother died, he's had a tight hold on me when it comes to boys. And now that I found my true love, he's not willing to let Barkis have me. Well, bugger him. I'm 18 now, I don't need him anymore, I should've ran away ages ago._ The family jewels felt cold and heavy against her pale skin as she gave an impatient sigh. She was wearing her mother's beautiful wedding gown and to kill time, she studied it; the pleated skirt was made of white silk and had a long flowing train trimmed with blue filigree that fanned out behind her when she stood, the strapless bodice that was covered in blue and white lace and pearls was outrageously low cut and hugged her large full breasts and tiny waist and the skirt had a wide slit up the middle that showed off her long sexy legs. Her beautiful, waist-length brown hair was covered with a long blue and white veil and topped with a halo of roses, her arms were adorned with white fingerless gloves, and her little feet were shod in white pumps. The sound of a twig cracking startled her and she saw a shape in the shadows. _About bloody time!_ "Darling, is that you?" She called out.

"Yes, my love. It's me." came Barkis's oiled-silk voice.

"What in the world took you so long?"

"Doesn't matter, did you bring what I asked?"

"Yes. I have the gold and jewels right here."

"Good girl. Now stand up and let me look at you in the moonlight."

Blushing, Emily picked up her bouquet and stood up, but no sooner had she stood than Barkis produced a rock and smashed it into her forehead, knocking her flat on her back and blinding her with pain. Her flowers falling from her hands, she felt a hot trickle of blood run down her brow and drip into her eye as her head throbbed. She felt her jewels being removed.

"Barkis, what the fuck is going on?" She gasped, now tasting the salty blood on her pink lips.

"You stupid bitch, don't you get it? We were _never_ going to get married, I was just using you for your money!"

Poor Emily's heart shattered and hot tears rolled down her cheeks, mingling with the blood. "You _never_ loved me!" She sobbed.

"Fuck no, that was a lie! The same lie I've told _dozens_ of pretty girls, but _you_ were the easiest to fuck with because you're by far the _stupidest._ Pity I have to cut the fun short, but I need the money."

_My father was right! I should've listened to him, I'm such a bloody idiot!_ The poor girl whimpered, her slender frame shaking with sobs.

"Ah good, go ahead and cry. I always loved to see the pretty girls cry." cackled the vile bastard.

Her sudden anger giving her a bit of strength, Emily weakly raised her head and spat her blood in his eye. He cried out.

"You fucking cunt! Now you've sealed your fate!" He roared.

Before Emily even had time to scream, she saw the silhouette of a sword shining in the moonlight and before she knew it, she felt it being stabbed into her right side through her ribs. The pain was so surreal and intense that she fainted. Hours later, she awoke to the smell of blood and damp earth; she weakly opened her blue eyes. After a moment, she realized she was buried alive in a shallow grave, her flowers lay on her blood-soaked chest. She was in agony, but her fear and desperation were stronger than that. Frantic and struggling to breath, she began to claw at the hard dirt, screaming and sobbing as best she could with her tightening throat. Sharp pain stabbed through her hands as her nails broke and heavy clumps of dirt rained down on her head, clogging her eyes, nose, and mouth. Gagging, she burst into a choking, wheezing cough, red blood and brown earth spilling from her mouth and clotting inside her bodice as uncontrollable tremors shook her weakened bod _y._ She felt woozy, dizzy and disoriented from blood loss and a concussion. But the fury of being attacked and betrayed gave her the strength to keep trying. _That motherfucker, I can't believe he did this to me when all I did was love him!_ She fumed, tears of rage mixing with the blood and dirt streaking her cheeks. Her vision was blurry, but she was still able to resume her digging, her nails continuing to break and bleed as she did. The more she tried, the more she felt her strength leave her and the harder it became to breath. By this point her lungs and throat were completely clogged with dirt and blood, but her clawing never ceased. Finally she managed to make a small hole in the dirt, but she was only able to reach her left arm and hand out of the grave before her blue-shadowed lids fluttered closed and one last wheezing breath she collapsed, the blackness swallowing her like the tide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> credit to VioletRose13-Art for helping me write this and stormqueen93 for giving me the title and unimportantweirdo for helping me fix this


	2. According To Plan

Nineteen year old Victor Van Dort opened his sketch book to a blank page and set it on his desk. With one large long-fingered hand, he took his feather quill out of the inkwell and set about drawing, graceful swoops and swirls of ink came together into a beautiful drawing of a lovely butterfly. After writing down the notes and as he put the finishing touches on the sketch, he heard a gentle tapping sound. Putting aside his quill, he looked and saw the little blue, white, and black butterfly fluttering its delicate wings against the glass dome. Closing the book and setting it aside, he stood and opened his bedroom window and with one last tender look at the beautiful insect, he gently lifted the dome and watched it fly away with small smile. _Such magical creatures butterflies are. They're the only magical thing to happen in this dull village. He thought, sitting down again, his smile fading. I bet my parents would tell me that a magical thing is happening to me by getting married, but what the fuck do THEY know? They're not the ones being forced to marry a girl I've never met before. They get their statuses bumped up, but what the hell do I get? Sold into a marriage that I don't even want! They never even asked about my feelings on the matter, they just accepted for me! God, they fucking suck._ He caught a glimpse of himself in the glass dome and frowned. _Why would any girl want to marry a gawky freak like me?_ In reality, Victor was a very handsome young man, but because of his abusive parents, he could never see that. He was very tall about six foot two and very skinny. He had a long angler face and pale ivory skin, big warm brown eyes and thick shiny black hair, his hands were big and long-fingered, his feet were small, and his legs long and spindly. All of this plus his thin, dimpled lips and long, slender nose could've made him look gawky and ugly, but it all suited him, probably because Victor had what was most important: a kind loving heart.

Outside, the butterfly flew around the town, the only real speck of color for miles. The town itself wasn't much to talk about, everything about it was dull, gray and ugly, the people included. The town crier walked though the streets, yelling out the news. "Hear ye, hear ye! Ten minutes to go till Van Dort wedding rehearsal!"

Just as the town crier left, Barkis walked in, the butterfly flew near him and scowling he swatted the poor thing away. _Fuck off, Emily. I don't feel bad about killing you; that was the fun part. The only thing I feel bad about is that your damn money went so fast. But what's this? Wedding rehearsal? Now THAT sounds promising. Let's see, what else I can learn about it?_

Mayhew, the Van Dorts' kindly driver, climbed up on the coach and drove to the house nearly hitting Old Lady Gertrude.

"Watch it!" She shouted before continuing to cross the road.

When it stopped in front of the house, Victor leaned out the window and looked down, his heart hammering in his chest.

The door opened and out came Nell and William Van Dort; where Victor got his good looks from is a mystery because his parents were as ugly as they were cruel. Nell was short and fat with a face like a ball of bread dough and sewn into a dress that was far too tight for her and all together looked like a pumpkin and William looked like a tall skinny walrus, topped with a tall hat and walked with a cane. _"It's a beautiful day!"_ Nell sang joyfully. _"It's a rather nice day."_ William added. _"A day for a glorious wedding!"_ Nell sang, snapping open her black lace fan. _"A rehearsal, my dear, to be perfectly clear!"_ He corrected, putting her fox stole around her fat neck. _"A rehearsal for a glorious wedding!"_ She sang, then arm in arm they hopped down the steps. _"Assuming nothing happens, that we don't really know."_

_"That nothing unexpected, interferes with the show!"_ Nell glared at Mayhew who obediently dropped his apron over the mud puddle, and stepping on it she swapped his hat for a nicer one then began to dance as her and William sang together: _"And that's why everything, "every last little thing, every single, tiny, microscopic little thing, must go!"_ As they sang they fixed up their coach, with Nell spinning like a top, "According to plan, "our son will be married, "according to plan, "our family carried, elevated to the heights of society!"

_" To the costume balls!"_ Nell sang as they danced together.

_"In the hallowed halls!"_ William answered.

_"Rubbing elbows with the finest!"_ Nell trilled wriggling from side to side.

_"Having crumpets with Her Highness!"_ He added, bowing playfully.

Then the two sang together, not knowing that Barkis was watching and had heard the whole thing. _"We'll be there, we'll be seen, having tea with the queen, we'll forget everything, that we've ever, ever been!"_

Then Nell tried to get in the coach, but as per usual, her fat ass got stuck in the door. "Fuck, it's my dress is caught!" She cried, her head in the coach.

"Begging your pardon, ma'am." Mayhew said as he and William began to push.

"Come on dear, easy goes!" William added.

"It's not _me,_ it's my fucking _dress_ is caught!" Nell snapped, in denial about her fatness. "Where is Victor? We might be late!" She added.

Upon hearing his name, Victor pulled back inside and closed the window, rolling his eyes and laughing softly at how silly his parents were.

Meanwhile across the street Madeline and Finis Everglot watched with disgust from their window: as vile and ugly as Nell and Will were, they were nothing compared to these two: Finis looked like a short squat cockroach with face like a rotten melon and Maude looked like a giant with a huge pointy chin and tall gray hair shaped like an ass. "Fucking fish merchants..." Maude scoffed, and Finis grunted in agreement. _"It's a terrible day!"_ Maude sang gloomily, rolling her fishy eyes.

_"Now, don't be that way!"_ Finis replied. _"It's a terrible day for a wedding!"_ Maude continued, moving away from the window, still rolling her eyes. _"It's a sad, sad state of affairs we're in."_ He sang, climbing down from the stool he'd been standing on. _"That has led to this ominous wedding!"_ Maude lamented, pressing her fist to her ugly forehead. "How could our family have come to this?"Finis asked. 

_"To marry off our daughter, to the nouveau riche!"_ They sang together. "They're so common!" She sang. "So coarse!" He added. "Oh, it couldn't be worse!" Maude sulked. _"Couldn't be worse? I'm afraid I disagree.!"_ Finis sang, twirling over to the safe and opening it, _"They could be land-rich, bankrupt aristocracy, without a penny to their name, just like you and me!"_ He finished. "Oh, dear." moaned Maude, joining him and looking despairingly into the empty safe, as she swiped a long finger through the dust. Then as the safe was cleaned up and closed, they began to sing together again. _"And that's why everything, every last little thing, every single, tiny, microscopic little thing, must go..."_ By now they'd reached the hallway that was lined with several ugly family portraits. _"According to plan!"_ Maude sang as they walked. _"Our daughter will wed!"_ Finis added. _"According to plan!" "Our family led!" "From the depths of deepest poverty!"_ They sang together. By now they'd reached the only beautiful painting in the whole gallery. _"To the noble realm!"_ Maude sang. _"Of our ancestry!"_ Finis sang. Then they sang in unison. _"And who would have guessed, in a million years, that our daughter with a face of an otter in disgrace, would provide our ticket, to a rightful place!"_

Now like with Victor, where nineteen year old, Victoria Everglot got her beauty from was a mystery because she was in spite of what her parents said the cutest little thing alive: she was tiny about five two, delicate, slender, and gently curvy, she had a lovely, fair heart-shaped face, large tender brown eyes framed in dark lashes, a cute little turned up nose, rosy cheeks, tiny pink heart-shaped lips, and straight silky chestnut hair that was always drawn up on her head in a tight bun. Right now she was sitting at her dressing table, looking cute in her corset and little white bloomers. She was staring dreamily into the mirror as her maid, childhood nanny, and surrogate mother, Hildegarde, laced up her corset. Victoria gasped sharply as the corset was pulled tight. _Fuck, I HATE wearing this thing._ She thought. "Oh Hildegarde, what if Victor and I don't..." Another pull made her gasp. "... _like_ each other?" She asked in her soft, gentle voice. But before she could get an answer a harsh cold laugh made her turn to see her parents standing in the doorway.

"As if that has anything to do with marriage! Do you suppose your father and I _LIKE_ each other?" Maude scoffed.

"Surely you must, a little." Victoria said innocently.

"Of course not!" The pair said in unison, shocking their daughter.

"Get those corsets laced properly. I can hear you speak _without_ gasping." Maude ordered, with a wave of her hand as she turned on her heel and walked away with Finis in tow.

Victoria turned back to her mirror, feeling her heart speed up beneath the already tight confines of her corset.

Sensing the girl's distress, Hilda dropped the laces and comfortingly patted Victoria's shoulder. "Don't worry, deary. I'm sure you and Victor will _love_ each other." She soothed in her kind shaky voice.

"I hope so. Oh how I wish to know what it feels like to fall in love." Victoria whispered, fiddling with the hairbrush in front of her.

"And you _will,_ my love, you _will."_ And pressing a tender kiss to her rosy cheek, Hilda picked up the laces again.

Meanwhile back at the Van Dort house, Victor ran outside and got in the coach, pressing his hand to the window and looking out forlornly as it took off. _Why the hell are we even using the carriage if we live right across the street from them?_ He wondered.

"You've certainly hooked a winner this time, Victor!" Will said, breaking Victor out of his thoughts.

"Now, all you have to do is reel her in!" Nell added, curling her fist.

_Christ I'm not marrying a fucking fish!_ "I'm _already_ reeling, mother. Shouldn't Victoria Everglot be marrying a lord or something?" He asked in his smooth gentle voice, briefly looking down at at his lap then back up at his parents; he sometimes had a problem keeping eye contact when he was nervous.

"Oh bollocks! We're every bit as good as the Everglots." Nell scoffed, snapping open her fan again. "I always knew I deserved better than a fish merchant's life!" She simpered, fanning herself with one hand and patting her dark hair with the other.

"But... I've never even spoken to her." Victor argued, wishing they would stop being so selfish for a minute and actually listen to him, but no such luck.

"Well, at least we have _that_ in our favor." Nell replied, then Mayhew starting hacking. "Mayhew silence that bloody coughing!" She yelled.

Victor cringed; poor Mayhew had been sick for as long as he could remember. He wasn't sure what with, but his coughing always pissed Nell off. But while his mother hated him, Mayhew was the only _human_ friend Victor had ever had.

Back with the Everglots, they stood at the top of the stairs as their butler Emil dusted. _"Marriage is a partnership, a little tit for tat."_ Maude sang, patting Finis on the head. _"You'd think a lifetime watching us... might have taught her that, might have taught her that."_ She continued, and then Finis joined in. _"Everything must be perfect, everything must be perfect, everything must be perfect, perfect!"_ They sang as they came down the stairs.

At the same moment, the Van Dorts arrived and also joined in on the song. _"That's why everything, every last little thing, every single, tiny, microscopic little thing, must go, According to plan!"_

And as the song finished, the doorbell chimed.


	3. The Lovers Meet

"Look at the way you're standing! You look like you got rickets or something..." Nell complained as she fussed with Victor, not realizing the Everglots were waiting, until she glanced back and saw them, then she turned around laughing embarrassedly, and the three of them entered the house. "Oh, my goodness! Oh, such grandeur! Such impeccable taste!" Nell gushed trying way too hard to impress the Everglots. "Beautiful, innit?" She added.

"It's not as big as our place, dear. Bit shabby really, isn't it?" Will said speaking the truth.

"Shut up!" Nell hissed, smacking him in the chest with her fan, all while Victor hang back.

"Lord and Lady Everglot, Mr. and Mrs. Van Dort." Emil announced.

"Why, _you_ must Miss Victoria!" Will said, tipping his hat to Maude, who wasn't impressed. "Yes I must say you don't look a day over 20!" He added with a wink, only for his wife to smack him again. "No. Oh, yes!" He added, laughing.

"Smile, darling. Smile." Maude hissed.

After struggling for a few seconds, Finis managed something like a smile. "Well, hello. What a pleasure. Welcome to our home." He grunted though his teeth.

Oh, thank you." Nell laughed, blushing and opening her fan.

"We'll be taking tea in the west drawing room. Oh, do come this way, it's just through there." Maude said, and with that the parents left the room.

Victor hung back, rolling his brown eyes. _God, I fucking hate my parents!_ He thought walking forward, sighing he turned toward the stairs and putting his hand down brushed piano keys, playing a note, surprised he looked down: he was standing in front of a beautiful glossy black piano and on top of it sat a tiny white vase containing a sprig of winter jasmine he glanced toward the door as it shut. Then looking down again he shyly played a few notes with one hand already starting to feel better. Suddenly worried he stopped and glanced at the door again, but it remained closed. Feeling encouraged he played a few more notes standing up then sat down on the bench and began to play with both hands, a beautiful, sweeping, gentle melody, almost like a lullaby, feeling bliss wash over him. He had always loved to play piano; it was one of the few things he could find solace in and right now, that's just what he needed. _Well, at least one good thing will come out of this marriage. I'll get to always play on this gorgeous piano... At least I hope so._ He thought, looking peaceful now.

Meanwhile upstairs, Victoria, now alone and dressed, still sat at her vanity, staring into the mirror and nervously fiddling with her already perfect hair when the sweet music reached her ears. She gasped softly and turned around blinking in surprise. _What in the world? I thought no one was allowed to touch that piano._ Even though she knew she wasn't supposed to go downstairs by herself, it was like the music was calling to her. She crept out of her room and into the hall where the music could be heard more clearly. Smiling dreamily, she put one arm out behind her and pressed her other hand to her chest, gliding to the stairs as if carried by the music. Looking down, she saw a young man playing the piano and feeling more confident now, she carefully and quietly walked down the steps.

Victor was so engrossed in the music that he didn't hear the soft footfalls approaching until she was standing near him turning slightly he saw a young girl standing a few feet away from him and the sight startled him so much that he gasped and leapt to his feet, knocking over the bench in the process and nearly causing the flower vase to fall over, but he managed to catch the vase in time. "Do forgive me!" He said shyly, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. He felt like he was going to faint; his head spun and he could barely breathe. He had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. The girl standing next to the piano could've been mistaken for a cherub: she was tiny about five two his age and delicate like a china doll, her skin was as smooth, pale, and perfect as porcelain, she had a beautiful heart-shaped face, tiny turned up nose, cheeks like roses, heart-melting brown eyes ringed with dark lashes, and dainty pink lips that to his great surprise, he wanted to kiss. Her hair that was pulled into a tight bun atop her head was like chestnut colored silk and he wanted to run his fingers through it. She was dressed in a dull red striped high-necked jacket with slightly puffed shoulders and long straight sleeves with rolled, lacey cuffs and a long matching skirt trimmed with ruffles. He also couldn't help noticing her breasts which were quite full for some one her size; the thought made him blush with embarrassment. But he couldn't deny that he was feeling something he had never before... _lust,_ as well as something more magical... _love._ _This must be what it feels like to fall in love. It's scary, but also wonderful at the same time._

"You play beautifully." Victoria said sweetly with a smile, revealing her tiny dimples.

Her kind words touched Victor's heart, his parents _never_ told him he did anything beautifully. In fact Nell never failed to tell him when he fucked something up. "I-I-I do apologize Miss Everglot. How rude of me to... well..." He stuttered, rubbing his hands together. He noticed the overturned bench and realized it would be rude to leave it on the floor. "Excuse me!" He added, bending down, picking it up and brushing off the seat. _Fuck, of all the times for me to be a clumsy, awkward, stuttering mess, why did it have to be NOW in front of such a pretty girl? God, now she probably thinks I'm a freak._

But Victoria didn't think that at all; in fact, quite the opposite. She found all those things about him to be adorable and endearing and could tell right away that he was a sweetheart. _Poor thing, he's as nervous about this whole thing as I am. I wonder if he's also falling in love. I hope so because its certainly a wonderful feeling. Magical, even!_ In an attempt to make him feel better, she decided to get personal. "Mother won't let me near the piano. Music is improper for a young lady. Too passionate, she says." She shyly told him.

_Wow, your mother is such a bitch. Why do you even have a piano if no one plays it? Sell it and make some money!_ Though truthfully, he was starting to think marrying her wouldn't be so bad after all. "If I may ask, Miss Everglot, where is your c-chaperone?" He asked, standing up. Not that he wasn't enjoying being alone with her, he was. But he didn't want her to get in trouble because he knew young ladies weren't supposed to be alone with men.

_Oh, why did you have to ask that?_ Victoria thought. and decided to try to doge the question. "Perhaps, in view of the circumstances..." She took her hands from behind her back and moved closer to him. "...you could call me Victoria." She finished, stopping a few feet in front of him.

And just like that, poor Victor felt like he couldn't breathe again; she was even lovelier up close. The sweet scent of her powder and perfume made his heart flutter and thud so loudly he was certain she could hear it. He gave a nervous laugh and rubbed his cheek with his finger. "Yes, of course." He tried to take a breath, but it was hard as his throat felt tight. "Victoria..." He finally breathed, his hands going to his tie, his eye contact all over the place.

"Yes, Victor?" She said, clasping her hands in front of her and subtly blinking her eyes at him, not realizing that she was flirting with him.

He began nervously wringing his tie. "T-tomorrow, we are to be mmm..." His throat was so tight he couldn't spit out the word. "Mmmmmm..."

"Married." Victoria kindly finished for him, wanting desperately to give him a hug.

"Yes! M-married!" Victor chuckled, his throat finally untightening. He never really liked to talk to people, but oddly enough, he felt like he could talk to Victoria forever.

Victoria put her hand on the piano. "Since I was a child, I've dreamt of my wedding day." She sat down on the bench and gently ran her finger over the keys. "I always hoped to find someone I was deeply in love with, someone to spend the rest of my life with. Silly, isn't it?" She added, smiling up at him.

"Yes, silly." He laughed, then he realized what he said. Shit that's not what she wanted to hear! "No! No, not at all." He tried again, sitting down next to her and leaning his arm on the piano but in doing so he knocked over the vase, making her gasp. "Oh dear, I'm sorry!" He apologized, picking up the vase. _God damnit! We were having such a nice moment and now I ruined it with my clumsiness!_

Victoria grabbed the jasmine and gave it a sniff before she offered it to him. Blushing, Victor took it from her with a smile, suddenly feeling like everything was right in the world.

"What impropriety is this?!" Maude bellowed, walking in and making them both jump up. Her cold, fishy eyes glared at them in disgust, almost as if she had caught them doing something very wrong. “You shouldn't be alone together!"

_Well why not? It’s not like we're doing anything wrong. We were just talking like normal people do._ Victoria thought wringing her little hands. Right now, she wanted to press close to Victor and feel his arm around her shoulders. The thought made her blush with embarrassment.

"Here it is, one minute before five, and you're not at the rehearsal! Pastor Galswells is waiting! Come at once!" Maude scolded.

And with one last longing look at each other, the new couple followed her.


	4. The Wedding Rehearsal

Three hours later.  
“Master Van Dort, from the beginning... again!” Bellowed an exasperated, Pastor Galswells in his deep booming voice. He was a great, hulking giant with a hunched back, a chin even longer and pointer then Maude's and a nose like Pinocchio. "With this hand I will lift your sorrows, your cup will never empty for I will be your wine, with this candle I will light your way in darkness, with this ring I ask you to be mine." He recited and turned to glare at Victor. "Lets try it again!"

"Yes! Yes, sir." Victor said meekly, wishing his pulse would stop racing: this had been going on for three bloody hours, but no matter how hard he tried he just kept fucking up and every time he did he got yelled at which just made him more nervous, and the fact that he was standing next to the woman he was now certain he was in love with just made his heart beat faster. "With this candle!" He began, and tried to light his candle, but the damn thing wouldn't light. "This candle..." Still wouldn't light. "This candle..." Still nothing. He could hear his parent talking and turned to look at them.

"Should I get there and do it for him?" Nell muttered, fanning herself.

"Don't get all aflutter dear." Will soothed.

_No please don't get up and do it for me, I'm already embarrassed enough as is!_ Poor Victor thought. Just then Pastor cleared his throat and Victor turned around realizing the candle was finally lit. "With this candle!" He said straightening up and chuckling, which the flame go out. _What the fuck?!_

"Continue!" Pastor shouted. Then the doorbell rang again.

"Get the door, Emil." Finis ordered, and the butler left.

"Let's just pick it up at the candle bit." Pastor said.

A few seconds later Emil was back with a card. "A Lord Barkis Sir." He said crisply, handing it to Finis then walking away.

Barkis walked in: he was uglier then all the villain's combined and far more cruel, he hadn't changed much in the five years since Emily's death, he was only in his 40s but his curly hair was snow white and he had the most bulbous chin yet. _This place is as fine as that little bitches was so they must be just as rich as she was, they're the perfect target for my next heist!_ "I haven't a head for dates. Apparently, I'm a day early for the ceremony." He said, his voice still like oiled silk.

Maude reached over and took the card from her husband.

"Is he from your side of the family?" He asked, leaning over.

"I can't recall!" She said with a shrug. "Emil, a seat for Lord Barkis!" She added with a snap of her skinny fingers.

And just like that, Barkis had a seat.

Victor and Victoria were now looking over their shoulders at the new guy. _Oh, great just what I need, another person to watch me fuck up!_ Victor thought feeling even more nervous.

_Who the fuck is this? There's no way he's one of the family because I've certainly never seen him before. Something doesn't feel right about him. Wow mother, you're just going to let him join in even though you don't remember him? This is definitely a bad idea._ Victoria thought, feeling suspicious as well as uncomfortable from the look he was now giving her.

"Do carry on." Barkis smirked, eyeing Victoria. _My, my, my, the daughter is just as lovely as Emily was. I wonder if she'll be just as much fun as she was: a silly, stupid, bitch who was way too easy to fuck with._

"Lets try it again, shall we, Master Van Dort?" Pastor said, breaking them from their thoughts.

Taking pity on her new boyfriend, Victoria kindly lit his candle for him.

"Yes, yes, Sir. Certainly." Victor answered, holding the candle in his left and holding up his right.

"Right!"

"Right. Oh, right!" Victor cried, switching hands. "With this... this..." _Damn it, I forgot the line again!_ He thought.

"Hand!" Pastor snapped.

Victor took Victoria's silky little hand in his, her touch making a shot of electricity course though his veins as they walked to the table. "With this hand, I will..." But he got distracted by her sweet face and the feeling of her dainty warm fingers curled around his and he bumped into the table.

"Three steps, three! Can you not count? Do you not wish to be married, Master Van Dort?!" Pastor roared.

Victoria gasped and put her hand to her lips. I _f only he'd just be patient with him, then maybe he'd stop fucking up!_ She thought sympathetically.

"No, no!" Victor gasped, shaking his free hand.

"You do not?" Victoria asked, looking at him in shock and feeling a bit hurt.

"No!" _Damnit, now he's getting me in trouble with my new girlfriend!_ "I meant I do not, not wish to be married. That is I want very much to..." But before he could finish he got smacked on the head. "Ow!"

"Pay attention! Have you even remembered to bring the ring?" Pastor growled.

"The ring! Yes, of course!" Victor said, reaching into his coat, but as soon as he took out the ring, the gold band slipped from his sweaty fingers and dropped to the floor; he had to run to get it.

"Dropping the ring?! This boy doesn't want to get married!" Pastor yelled.

The ring rolled under Maude's chair and the poor boy had to reach under to get it. "Excuse me. Got it!" He said, holding it up. And then, all hell broke lose: Victor heard gasps and looking down, saw that he had dropped his candle and caught the hem of Maude's dress on fire!

"Out of the way, you ninny!" Finis yelled, shoving Victor out of the way and trying to stomp out the fire, but failing epically, all while Victor and Victoria stared at each other, not knowing what to do.

"Oh, I hope it doesn't stain!" Nell fretted, fanning the fire like an idiot.

"Stop fucking fanning it, you fool!" Maude snapped, slapping away the fan.

"Get a bucket, get a bucket!" Nell yelled.

"Yes! I'm on the way dear, yes! Oh dear!" Will said.

Then playing the hero, Barkis grabbed the cup of wine and dumped it onto the fire, but instead of making it worse like it should've, it put it out. Then he tossed the cup away and Emil caught it on a tray with impeccable speed and skill. _That should be enough to get me in their favor and with any luck, win me the hand of their beautiful daughter. After this giant fiasco of a rehearsal, there's no way they'll still want that silly little boy to marry her._ He thought smugly.

"Enough! This wedding cannot take place until he is properly prepared!" Pastor roared, glaring at Victor, who stood there trembling with fear. "Young man, learn your vows!" He growled, pointing one long, boney finger at the poor boy.

Frightened and humiliated, poor Victor backed against the door fumbled with the knob and ran away, fighting back tears the whole time.

'Well, he's quite the catch, isn't he?" Barkis sneered to a shocked Victoria.

_Evil bastard, how dare you make fun of him!_ Victoria thought, taking her hand from her lips. She glanced briefly at Barkis then at the door, wishing she could punch Barkis in the face, run after Victor, and cradle him in her arms.


	5. Emily's return

Victor stood slumped on the bridge, the winter jasmine laying in his open palm. Picking it up and holding it in front of him, he closed his eyes and gave a heavy sigh, a little tear sliding down his shallow cheek and spotting the stone he was leaning on. _I should've known I couldn't get a beautiful girl like Victoria and not fuck everything up._ "Oh Victoria, she must think I'm such a bloody fool." He muttered sadly. "This fucking day couldn't get any worse!" He added, putting the flower back in his pocket. But no sooner had those words left his mouth than the town crier appeared.

"Hear ye, hear ye! Rehearsal in ruins as Van Dort boy causes chaos! Fishy fiancé could be canned! Everglots all fired up as Van Dort disaster ruins rehearsal!"

_Oh great, now the whole fucking world knows I made an ass of myself at the rehearsal! And on top of that, he probably also heard me swearing! That's just fucking fantastic!_ Victor sighed, standing up and throwing his arms in the air. _At this rate, I'll be lucky if my parents don't fucking disown me!_ He thought as he retreated into the woods, a place he'd been to so many times it was like his second home. "It really shouldn't be all that difficult, it's just a few simple vows." He said aloud to himself. "With this hand... I will take your wine. Ugh, no." Walking deeper, he tried again. "With this hand, I will cup your..." But then he glanced down and realized he had been making a cupping motion to his chest. "Oh bloody hell, no!" He gasped blushing with embarrassment. _God, this is not the time to be thinking about tits, even though Victoria does have very nice ones... No mind out of the gutter! Got to focus on getting those vows right or I'll never even get to look at her tits again._ By now, he had reached his favorite spot: by the old oak tree where he often came to walk or sketch or catch butterflies. "With this... with this... with this candle, I will... I will..." But the candle line could only make him think of one thing. "I will set your mother on fire!" He groaned, slapping himself on the head and slumping down on one of the logs in despair. "Oh, it's no use!" He moaned sadly. Hot tears stung his brown eyes and he felt ready to break down sobbing, shaking his head and sniffling, he reached into his jacket for his handkerchief, but instead out came the gold ring and sprig of winter jasmine. The flower made him think of Victoria and his new found love for her and the thought warmed his heart; he had read a lot about symbols of love and he wanted to believe that this flower was one of those and that by giving him the flower, she had given him her heart. Picking it up, he gave it a sniff, the sweet scent and memory of his new girlfriend drying his tears and giving him the strength he needed to try again. Suddenly determined, he stood up and put the flower away. "With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty for I will be your wine." He recited confidently, tossing the ring in the air and catching it again. Feeling playful now, he began to talk to the trees. "Ah, Mrs. Everglot! You look ravishing this evening." He then turned to a large round stump. "What's that, Mr. Everglot? Call you dad? If you insist, sir." He went on. "With this candle, I will light your way in darkness!" He continued, breaking off a twig and pretending to light a candle. "With this ring, I ask you to be mine!" He finished triumphantly, dropping to one knee and sliding the gold ring onto a hand-shaped tree branch sticking out of the ground. _Holy fuck, I did it! I actually did it! I finally got the vows right! Damn, it feels good to actually do something right for once! I bet Victoria would be really proud of me right now. Oddly enough I'm kind of proud of myself right now._ He smiled. But his smile quickly faded as the wind suddenly picked up and the cawing of ravens was heard as well as a faint crackling sound (unbeknownst to him, the hand-shaped branch began to twitch). He turned and saw several ravens perched on the trees staring down at him, a sight that made his heart lurch as he had read that ravens could mean a bad omen. No sooner had that thought entered his head then a skeletal hand shot out of the hole in the ground, fastened around his wrist, and yanked him down. Victor gasped sharply and landed with a thud, then realizing what was going on, shot up and began pulling and struggling to free himself, but the hands grip was like iron and just kept trying to pull him down. However with one sharp tug the arm came free, snapping off with such force it sent him flying backwards with a grunt. Looking up, he gasped as he saw the hand clamp tighter around his skinny wrist. Whimpering, he shook his arm and flung it away from him, the damn thing finally coming off and limply landing a few feet away from him. _What the hell is going on?! This is like something straight out of a penny dreadful and I hate those!_ He thought. Then there came a deep pounding and the snowy ground cracked open, as Victor watched in horror, a slender blue-skinned arm shot out of the hole and dug its nails into the hard dirt. Then before his eyes, out of the hole gracefully rose a tall elegant figure veiled and robed in white, partly corpse, partly skeleton. The blue hand reached up and lifted the tattered veil, revealing a face that was both gorgeous and terrifying at the same time.

_About fucking time someone asked for my hand! I was beginning to think no one ever would! Emily thought, blinking her now black eyes. And lucky me, it just so happens to be the boy I've been watching for the past five years! What a perfect husband he'll make!_ "I do." She whispered, her voice still like a chorus of angels singing. Smiling, she reached down to help him up.

Gawking in horror at the beautiful corpse reaching out to him, Victor gasped and cowered in fear for a second, then he scrambled to his feet and ran off as fast as he could.

Emily's smile faded and she felt a bit hurt. _What the fuck was that for?! I was just going to help him up! This is what I get for trying to be polite. I mean it's only been five years, I can't possibly look THAT bad... can I?!_ Then she thought of something that made her smile return. _Oh, I get it! This is a game, he wants me to chase him! How fun, I love games!_ Her arm dragged itself across the ground and she reached down and picked it up as she started to chase after him, the root tangled train of her dress dragging behind her. _Oh, I bet this is why he looked scared._ She thought as she snapped her arm back on. _Oh well, he'll get used to it after a while._

Running for dear life, poor Victor tripped, fell down the hill, and smashed his head against a tombstone. Just then the lovely bride appeared at the top of the hill, glowing like a ghost in the moonlight. He backed up against the tombstone as she floated down the hill, reaching out to him again; he fell over the top and began to run again. He ran until he hit a tree with a grunt. _Bugger! Of all times to be a bloody klutz, why does it have to be now when I'm being chased by a fucking zombie?! A beautiful zombie, but a zombie nonetheless!_ Groaning and covering his right eye he saw the blurry visage of the ghostly girl coming at him. Distracted, he ran into the tree again then took off again.

_Poor dear, he's even clumsier than I thought._ Emily laughed as Victor ran into the tree twice. _He got distracted by staring at me, how sweet. My beauty must've dazzled him!_

Running down another hill, Victor became trapped on a frozen pond for a few seconds until the Corpse Bride caught up to him then after struggling a bit more managed to get to shore.

Emily followed close behind gracefully floating across the ice, her veil and gown flowing gently in the wind.

Still running, Victor became tangled in tree branches, but after struggling for a few seconds he managed to get free, tearing the sleeve of his jacket in the process. He finally reached the bridge again only for a flock of ravens to fly at him; he ducked and they flew over his head then everything went quiet. He turned around panting heavily, his heart hammering wildly and his thin chest heaving. _Jesus, this is like a fucking nightmare! And I should know, I've been having those since I was a boy._ He thought as he frantically scanned the area, but there was no sign of The Dead Bride anywhere. _Thank god, she must've given up._ He breathed a sigh of relief and walked backwards, only to almost have a heart attack as she appeared behind him. He backed away from her until his back hit the hard stone edge of the bridge, feeling dizzy with fright. She slowly walked towards him, her arms outstretched and her veil and gown billowing beautifully behind her as the ravens circled over their heads. She gently rested her hands on his shoulders her cold touch sending chills though him and making it hard to stay conscious. "You may kiss the bride!" She purred in a velvety lustful tone and as everything swirled around them, she leaned in and kissed him with both lips and tongue that were soft but as cold as the snow on the ground and with that his legs gave out and he fainted right into her cool arms.


	6. Remains of the day

Emily caught Victor as he collapsed into her arms. _Shit, maybe the tongue was too much. Probably should've waited until we had sex to do that! Oh well, he'll have to get used to that too. And at least I won the game of chase. But then again, I always win at games._ (the reason she always won at games is because her friends always let her win) She picked him up bridal style (ironically enough) and boldly cradled his head against her little shoulder. _Damn, he's as light as a feather!_ She thought smiling. By now the spinning had stopped and they'd returned to limbo or as it was more commonly known, The Land of the Dead: a place that in another twist of irony was as lively, colorful and bright as The Land of the Living was dull, gray, and boring. Emily carried Victor into the Ball and Socket and was greeted by General Bonaparte.

"Hey you're back, um... uh..."

"Emily!" She told him, rolling her eyes. _God I've been stuck in limbo for five fucking years and they still don't remember my damn name, well expect for my best friends of course!_

"Right, sorry!" He said in his squeaky little voice, then he noticed Victor laying in the little girl's arms. "Who the fuck is that?"

"My new husband!" Emily said proudly, walking over to the bar.

"What the hell happened to him? Why is he unconscious?" Bonaparte asked as some of others took notice that Emily had returned and came over.

"Long story." She replied simply, kneeling down and laying him gently on the floor. She tenderly stoked a lock of black hair away from his pale forehead and he just looked so handsome that she couldn't help planting a big kiss on his cheek, then she quickly stood up as the others gathered round.

The feeling of ice cold lips on his warm cheek shocked Victor back to consciousness, he slowly opened his brown eyes and looked around: he was laying on the floor of a very bright, colorful room and was surrounded by dead people, but the one who caught his attention was the pretty bride who'd chased him though the woods. Now that she was still and the lighting was good, he could finally get a proper look at her: the girl brought the sirens of Greek myth to mind, equal parts beautiful and frightening. She was very tall, five ten shorter then him by about a head and very slim, but her hips were round and curvy. She was also very young, she couldn't be older then eighteen and the thought of someone dying so young sent a pulse of pity through his kind heart. Her long thick hair was a rich royal blue and fell in beautiful waves and a bit of curls over her slender shoulders and to her tiny waist and was crowned with a halo of dried roses from which flowed a long tattered blue and white veil. She was dressed in a very beautiful silk wedding gown covered in lace and pearls with a deep V-neck bodice that showed off her large round breasts and a wide slit up the middle of the skirt that reveled her long sexy legs, the right covered in smooth ice-blue flesh, the left all bone save for a bit of flesh around her ankle and her small feet were shod in a pair of sweet white pumps. There was a big tear in the right side of her gown reveling her ribs and a dented bruise on her high forehead, her arms were the same as her legs: the right skin-covered, the left boney and both were covered in snowy fingerless gloves. Her oval-shaped face was as breathtaking as Victoria's even though there was a hole in her left cheek that showed her pearly little teeth and a patch of some sort on her right cheek. Her skin was perfect and icy blue, the tip of her slender little nose was skeletal but still cute, her full pouty lips were dimpled and shockingly pink, and her large round eyes that were blue-shadowed and framed in long, feathery, black lashes were as warm and black as coals.

"A new arrival!" said Alfred, a finely-dressed skeleton with a pipe and moustache.

"He must've fainted." Corpse Bride said in an angel-like voice. She leaned down and propped her cool boney hand under his head, "Are you alright?" She asked concerningly.

As she leaned over him, he caught the sweet smell of dried flowers, an unusual scent for a corpse, but certainly not an unpleasant one. "What... what happened?" He stammered, feeling dazed; the last thing he remembered was the feel of her chilly tongue and lips then blackness. And now that he was conscious he realized that his mouth tasted of dirt and death: disgusting, but also surprisingly arousing.

"By Jove man, looks like we got ourselves a breather!" said Alfred as the girl stood up again.

"Ooh, does he have a dead brother?" asked Ms. Plum, the chubby, blue-skinned cook, shoving Alfred out of the way.

"He's still soft!" trilled a little boy skeleton in a blue sailor suit, poking Victor in the chest.

Gasping with fright, the poor boy scrambled to his feet. _What the fucking hell is going on here?!_ He wondered.

"A toast, then!" Bonaparte said, making a toast with a skeleton solider with a huge hole in his chest. Bonaparte drank only for his companion to pull the sword from his chest, making the drink pour out of the hole into his cup and drink it himself. "To the newlyweds!" Bonaparte finished as the sword was put back in.

"Newlyweds?!" Victor gasped. _Is everyone here fucking crazy?!_

The dead beauty sighed happily and putting her left hand on his chest, swung around to his other side, sliding her hand off his chest. "Oh, in the woods, you said your vows so perfectly!" She cooed, displaying the gold ring on her boney finger.

"I did?" Then Victor remembered the scene in the woods. "I did!" He gasped. _Oh my god, that twig was her hand, she must think I proposed to her! Fuck, I'm such a idiot! No wait. this can't be real! It has to be a dream!_ "Wake up, wake up, wake up!" He chanted, banging his head on the bar, but all that did was make his head hurt.

Emily watched in surprise and put two fingers to her lips. _Shit, I should probably do something._ She thought, but then a trilling voice rang out and she smiled, Victor also ceased hitting his head off the bar.

"Bonjour! Coming through, coming through!" And there appeared a severed head. "My name is Paul, I am the head waiter." He trilled in his French accent with a little laugh.

Victor gasped and Emily began to get worried again. _ Damn, I hope he doesn't faint again._

"I will be creating your wedding feast." Paul went on.

Just then, Emily's right eye popped out and poking from the socket was her best friend: a cute little green maggot with pink lipstick and purple eyeshadow. "Wedding feast! I'm salivating!" He joked in his funny accented voice.

Victor gasped again and Emily quickly clapped her hand over the socket. "Maggots!" She giggled embarrassedly, rolling her other eye. _I love Maggot, but I hate when he embarrasses me._ She thought, grabbing her eye and quickly putting it back in.

_Fuck this!_ Gasping, Victor backed away in horror. "Keep away!" He yelled, tripping and falling. Jumping up, he tried to grab a sword but it was stuck in Bonaparte. "I've got a... I've got a..." He glanced at the general. "dwarf..." _Fuck it, I'll go with it._ "And I'm not afraid to use him. I want some questions, now!" He went on.

"Answers. I think you mean _'answers'."_ Bonaparte said helpfully.

"Thank you, yes answers. I need answers! What the hell is going on here?! Where am I?! Who the fuck are you?!" Victor demanded, he was shocked at himself for swearing so much and in pubic too, but he was so scared he couldn't help it.

"Well, that's kind of a long story." Emily told him with hints of sadness and embarrassment, clasping her hands and pouting prettily.

"What a story it is!" came the rough, gravely voice of BoneJangles: a one-eyed skeleton in a bowler hat. "A tragic tale of romance, passion, and a murder most foul!"

"This is gonna be good." Bonaparte said excitedly; Victor dropped him with a gasp.

"Hit it, boys." BJ said and the music began. He knocked on three skeletons heads then began to sing. "Hey, give me a listen, you corpses of cheer! At least those of you, who still got an ear. I'll tell you a story, make a skeleton cry." He spun a skeleton's head and made a crying motion. "Of our own jubiliciously lovely Corpse Bride!" He sang as a spotlight shined on Emily, who raised her eyes and gave a coy smile.

 _Here we go again, time to relive my fucking death AGAIN. I already get that enough when I sleep._ Emily thought as she put on her mask and went to take her place on the stage. Not that she didn't enjoy performing and being the center of attention, all that she loved (in fact she was what some might call an attention whore), but having to be reminded of the biggest fuckup she ever made, all the time, that was rough for her, though having her beauty complimented did help somewhat.

"Die, die, we all pass away! But don't wear a frown, cause it's really okay! You might try and hide and you might try and pray, but we all end up The remains of the day!" Everyone sang.

Creeped out, Victor tried to sneak away, but was quickly caught.

"Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah!" the skeletons sang as BJ laughed. "That's right!"

"Well, our girl was a beauty known for miles around!" BJ sang as the skeletons uncovered Emily and she tiled her head and fluttered her pretty lashes at him with a flirty smile, she didn't think she'd ever get tired of being called beautiful. "When a mysterious stranger came into town." he continued and she had to tighten her mask to keep her smile in place as the memory of Barkis sent a pang of sorrow though her heart. "He was plenty good-looking, but down on his cash, and our poor little baby, she fell hard and fast!" BJ sang as the two of them did a trust fall. _ Yes I did, like a fucking ditz I fell for that wanker all because he acted like a gentleman: he kissed me and complimented me and told me he loved me and I ate up every word like candy!_ Emily felt anger boiling in her heart and she had to swallow it down, pining her mask on more firmly. He let go and she spun around then stood with clasped hands and a wistful look as he sang some more: 'When her daddy said no she just couldn't cope, so our lovers came up with a plan to elope!"

_Oh daddy, I'm so sorry. You were right about Barkis, I should've listened to you. I miss you so much!_ Emily felt her throat and chest tighten with emotion and knew she had to get backstage before she burst into tears. Seeing that everyone was distracted, she slipped backstage as two big tears rolled down her blue cheeks and a sob broke past her pink lips. _God, I hate still having feelings! Why can't I be like them and just be happy all the time, being able to feel everything and cry when no one else can is so scary!_ She sniffled, drying her cheeks with her veil, but then she remembered her new husband and immediately felt better. _ He's kind and handsome, he'll be able to ease my pain and loneliness! _She thought and wiping her eyes and putting her mask back on she went back out on the stage.

"Die, die, we all pass away, but don't wear a frown, cause it's really okay!" Everyone sang and started dancing with Victor, unaware that Emily had been crying backstage, BJ took off his hat and put it on Paul. "You might try and hide, and you might try and pray, but we all end up The remains of the day, Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah!" BJ who was now sitting on the bar accidentally kicked Paul and he went flying, but thankfully BJ jumped up and Paul rolled down his arms, then putting his hat back on he spun around and began to scat; then he and the other skeletons began to play. "That's right." "Okay. Oh, yeah." "Come on, boys, pick it up." "Yeah. Like it." "Okay, Chancy, take it." Then laughing, he danced with Victor. "Yeah, yeah, that's nice."

Now back to the song:. "So they conjured up a plan, to meet late at night, they told not a soul kept the whole thing tight!" BJ sang as he slunk over to Emily who was again standing with clasped hands and a wistful look. "Now, her mother's wedding dress fit like a glove! You don't need much when you're really in love!" He continued, cloaking his head in her skirt. _ Really in love? What nonsense. I don't think I was ever really in love with Barkis. I'm pretty sure it was just a lustful crush. I wish I had realized that sooner! _"Except for a few things, or so I'm told, like the family jewels, and a satchel of gold!" He went on, moving away from her. _I should've known it was a trap when he insisted I bring money and the family jewels. He said it was for security which made sense at the time. But he insisted so forcefully, it should've been enough to scare me. AND the fact that he kept reminding me to remember to bring them. God I fucking hate myself for being tricked! _Then came the worst part for her, having to reenact her death. "Then next to the graveyard, by the old oak tree, on a dark foggy night, at a quarter to three, she was ready to go, but where was he!" BJ sang and poor Emily felt her body tense up at the lyrics.

"And then!" the others asked. "She waited!" BJ answered. "And then?" "There in the shadows, was it her man?" "And then?" "Her little heart beat so loud!" "And then?" "And then, baby, everything went black!"

Emily let out a high pitched scream and nearly broke down crying.

"Now, when she opened her eyes, she was dead as dust! Her jewels were missing, and her heart was bust!" BJ sang, laying on top of the piano, then jumping up as everyone began to clap. "So she made a vow, lying under that tree, that she'd wait for her true love, to come set her free!" He sang, wrapping his boney arm around Victor.

"Always waiting for someone, to ask for her hand!" The light fell on Emily and turning, she held out her blue hand to Victor and batted her long lashes at him with a sweet smile, her sadness forgotten. _Finally all my patience has been rewarded!_ She thought happily. "Then out of the blue, comes this groovy young man!" BJ sang, pushing Victor into her arms and the two of them began to spin in a circle as the singing continued. "Who vows forever, to be by her side! And that's the story of our Corpse Bride!"

Then Emily's boney arm snapped off again and Victor flew backwards, only to be caught by two dead people. Seeing the arm, he quickly dropped it, quaking with fear. _ Alright, this is way too fucked up for me! This is so much WORSE than any penny dreadful! I've got to get out of here before something even CRAZIER happens!_

"Die, die, we all pass away! But don't wear a frown, cause it's really okay! You might try and hide and you might try and pray! But we all end up The remains of the day! Yeah..."

As the song ended, Victor slipped away and flew up the stairs and out the door and Emily turned just in time to see him leave.


	7. Gossip And Scandal

Victoria stood at the window staring out forlornly, her hands clasped in front of her. Her heart was knotted with stress and worry; Victor had been gone since the rehearsal and still hadn't returned. She had been standing at the window for what felt like hours, waiting and watching for any sign of her new boyfriend. But right now, the only one she saw was Mayhew lighting his pipe. She was in love with Victor, of that much she was certain. How else could she explain what she was feeling: like there was a crack in her heart? And how she was sure she would die if she could never see him again? Yes, they had only met that afternoon, but she felt like she'd known him her whole life; it had been love at first sight. He understood her in a way that no else did... save for Hilda of course. He hadn't laughed at her beliefs on marrying for love or had scoffed at her subtle wish to learn piano, he'd been very supportive of them. It was funny: earlier, she'd been worried that they wouldn't like each other and she wondered if she would ever know what it felt like to fall in love. But then both of those prayers had been answered and now there was the possibility that all that would been taken away and she'd never see his handsome face again. Tears welled up in her brown eyes and she had to bite her lip to keep from sobbing. "Victoria, come away from the window!" Maude ordered and the little girl obediently did so, hoping her mother didn't notice the tears in her eyes. Not because Victoria was ashamed of showing emotion, she wasn't; but because Maude was a cold, hard, heartless woman who never tolerated babyish behavior.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll be back shortly. He's terrified of the dark!" Nell assured. "In fact, when he was a boy, he used to wet his combinations regularly, didn't he, William?" She continued elbowing her husband, who was calmly sipping his tea.

_Wow and I thought MY parents were horrible and embarrassing. My poor Victor, no wonder he's so jumpy and nervous._

Just then there was a knock at the door. "Enter!" Finis barked.

Victoria immediately perked up. _He must be back finally!_ She thought with a smile.

But when the door opened, in came Barkis smirking and posing smugly.

Victoria's smile faded and her heart dropped like a stone in her chest. _Damn, it's just him again. But I should've expected that as he's now staying in our fucking house._ What happened was after Victor had left, Barkis had bemoaned that he was new in town and had nowhere to stay and since he'd been the one to put out the fire Maude had let him stay with them claiming it was the least they could do after he saved her life. _I don't care if he saved mother. He scares me and I hate him. Oh Victor, I wish you were here to protect me._ Poor Victoria lamented, and felt a warm tear trickle down her cheek.

"Ah, Lord Barkis. I trust the room is to your liking?" Maude said, sounding pleased.

"Thank you, you are a most gracious hostess." Barkis simpered; Victoria had to repress a shudder of disgust. He stole a quick glance at her and noticed a tear glistening on her cheek in the firelight, which made his smirk widen. She noticed and quickly wiped away the wetness, her heart beating faster.

"Which is why it pains me to be the barer of such bad news!" He continued, walking into the room and creepily leaning over Finis. He snapped his long skinny fingers and in walked the town crier. "Would you care to repeat tonight's headline for us?" He asked and the crier obliged.

"Hear ye, hear ye! Victor Van Dort seen this night on the bridge in the arms of a mystery woman! The dark-haired temptress and Master Van Dort slipped away into the night! And now, the weather. Scattered showers..."

"Enough! That will be all." Barkis said, and the crier left.

"Mystery woman?! He doesn't even know any women!" Nell remarked.

"Or so you thought." Barkis jeered, walking to the door. _This should be enough to make them hate him forever and make the little girl fall for me now that she knows her new boyfriend is a fucking cheater._ He paused in the doorway. "Do call for me, if you need my assistance..." He leered at Victoria who stood there, gaping in shock with her little hand pressed to her chest. "...in any way." He sneered. And with that he shut the door.

_Barkis must be full of shit! There is no way this is true! Victor is kind, good, and loyal, he would never cheat on me!_ But even as she thought this, Victoria felt the crack in her heart spread.

"Oh good heavens! Finis, what should we do?!" moaned Maude, standing up.

"Fetch me musket!" Finis replied.

"Oh William, do something!" Nell fretted, and Will stood up.

"Um, the town crier probably just had a slow news day! You know how it is, you need a little something to cry about." He said, taking the musket from Emil and putting it back on the wall. This was the only time he ever stood up for his son and Victor wasn't even there to see it.

"Regardless, we are one groom short for the wedding tomorrow." Finis said, jumping down from his chair. "Not to mention the financial implications."

"A most scandalous embarrassment for us all." Maude added.

_Wow. Fuck all of you. I'm the only one who's actually worried about Victor, the rest of you are just worried about yourselves, so selfish!_ Victoria thought, now feeling even more worried and stressed.

"Oh, give us a chance to find him! We beg of you! Just give us until dawn." Nell pleaded.

"Very well. Till dawn." Maude answered.

Then Victoria retreated to her bedroom, cried a bit, then set to work on the blanket she had been making, hoping to relive at least some of her stress.


	8. From Fear To Friendship

"Victor, darling! Where are you?" Emily called sweetly, looking around the town square. (she had finally learned his name from a very special friend) _Well, I guess we're playing hide and seek now. That's fine, I love that game! But he could've at least said something first before he ran off on me! But then again, he IS very shy so that probably explains it. Oh well, playing chase with him was fun, so this should be fun too!_ As she walked forward, Maggot's voice rang out in her head.

_"If you ask me, your boyfriend is kind of jumpy."_

_Oh piss off, I don't have time to listen to you bitch and be overprotective!_ Emily thought rolling her eyes and raising her arms slightly from her sides, before she clasped her hands and looked around with a worried expression. "He's not my boyfriend, he's my husband." She corrected him matter-of-factly, holding up her boney ringed hand. "Victor? Where have you gone?" _He shouldn't be playing hide and seek down here yet. He doesn't know his way around yet and could get lost._

"Hey, I'll keep an eye out for him." Maggot quipped, popping out her eye again which she caught in her hand.

_You really love to embarrass me, don't you?_ "Victor!"

Victor meanwhile had been hiding behind the statue, he peaked his head out and saw his new wife standing not to far away. _Damn, this girl is persistent. Much more so than my parents ever were. Whenever I got lost, they never even bothered to come look for me, but she actually acts like she gives a shit, even though she just met me. She must really like me._ He crept out from behind the statue.

"There he goes, there he goes! He's getting away, quick! Quick, after him!" Maggot yelled.

Emily quickly popped her eye back in and called out to him again as she went after him. "Victor!"

Caught Victor took off and ran past a hand shop.

Emily stopped in front of the store and put two boney fingers to the side of her mouth in thought until the hands helpfully pointed the way. "Thank you." She said politely, and went in that direction.

By now, Victor had reached an ally lined with coffins.

"Victor, where are you?" Came Emily's trilling voice close behind him.

Thinking quickly he got into one of the coffins and pretended to be dead.

"Victor, where have you gone?" Emily called, walking right past him like a fucking ditz.

When her footsteps receded, Victor stopped pretending. _ Wow I can't believe that worked!_ He thought. But then, Emily's other best friend, a kindly black widow spider, descended next to him.

"Married, huh? I'm a widow." She said in a sweet, motherly voice.

Gasping, Victor swatted her away and took off again.

"Oh, how rude! He went that way!" Widow called to Emily, making her whirl around.

_Dobber. But then again, it's not like she was hurting me. She was just being friendly, so yeah, I kind of deserved that. _Victor thought sheepishly. He ran down another ally and Emily's sweet voice rang out again.

"Victor!"

Turning, he gasped as he saw her standing in another ally next to him.

"Victor, darling!" She called, cupping her hands around her mouth.

_How the hell does she know my name? Has she been spying on me this whole time? That would explain why the woods always felt haunted._

As he ran, he finally came upon another person, a gaunt, blue-skinned man sweeping. "Please there's been a mistake, I'm not dead!" He cried, grabbing the man by the shoulders and shaking him, which just made the man's head fall off. Crying out in surprise, Victor ran again.

Then he came upon another man; this one with a moustache.

"Excuse me. Excuse me." The man said as Victor tried to get by, then to his horror the man split himself in half. "Excuse me. Thank you." The two halves said and walked away.

_Fuck me, am I in hell?! No, this can't be hell! Everyone is too nice, this must be limbo! _With that new knowledge, he ran again with Emily's voice now following him.

"Victor!"

"Dead end!" He panted as he came to a hill.

"Victor! Hello!" Her voice came again, sounding like she was right behind him.

Out of options, Victor climbed the hill. At the top, he grabbed the railing with both hands then reaching out, his hand closed around Emily's boney ankle. Gasping, he looked up into her beautiful smiling face.

"Could've used the stairs, silly!" She gently teased. Reaching down her boney arm, she grabbed his arm a bit too tightly and pulled him up, setting him down gently. "Oh, isn't the view beautiful?" She gushed, gracefully spinning around. "It takes my breath away!" She added, folding her hands over her chest and walking away with a dreamy sigh. "Well, it would if I had any." She giggled; she had a beautiful husky laugh. "Isn't it romantic?" That was fun, and I won again. I'm damn good at these games. She sat down on an old coffin-shaped bench and patted the space beside her, smiling.

With a sigh, Victor reluctantly walked over and sat down next to her. Alright I give up. I'm sick of running. Maybe if I talk to her, I can make her see reason. "Look, I'm terribly sorry about what's happened to you and I'd like to help, but I really need to get home." He told her kindly.

_" This_ is your home now!" Emily said, clueless as ever.

_No, bitch. This is YOUR fucking home. I'm only here because you kidnapped me!_ But he was far too kind to say that out loud; plus, she seemed like a nice person and he didn't want to hurt her feelings because apparently, she still had them. "But I don't even know your name." He said. _ Though you somehow know mine._

Emily opened her mouth to tell him, but then Maggot's sarcastic voice rang out in her head again.

_"Well, that's a great way to start a fucking marriage."_

Glancing around, Emily pressed her hands to the sides of her head. "Shh! Shut the fuck up!" She hissed in annoyance. _I'm on a date with my new husband! Can't you leave me alone for a while? _Then she realized Victor was staring at her like she was crazy. _ Oh great! Now he probably thinks I'm fucking mad!_ Giggling, she gave him a smile. "It's Emily." She said sweetly.

"Emily." He softly repeated to himself. What a beautiful name; it suited her well for dead as she was. She was Victoria's equal in beauty. The dress she wore left little to the imagination. _She certainly has lovely tits, just as lovely as Victoria's. What the fuck is wrong with me? Why do I keep thinking about tits today? It's a very improper thing to be thinking about, especially when those tits are on a DEAD woman! Its bad enough I found the taste of her mouth arousing! God, if she caught me looking while I was laying on the floor, I think I'd die of embarrassment!_

"Oh, I almost forgot! I have something for you." Emily said, reaching down and setting a fancy red and gold box in his lap. She put her blue hand to the side of her mouth and whispered like she was telling him a secret. "It's a wedding present."

Victor felt touched and worried at the same time; he picked it up and began to shake it gently.

Emily gasped and put a finger to her lips, her confident expression cracking slightly. _Oh shit what if he doesn't like it? No, that's silly. Of course he will._ She assured herself, calming down.

Victor opened the box and gasped, it was full of bones. _Oh my god, she gave me bones! This bitch is fucking insane!_ "Thank you." He said politely. Just then, the box began to shake and fell off his lap, the bones spilling out across the ground. Then as he watched, the bones became an adorable skeleton dog. The little dog trotted over to them, holding a little red collar in his mouth. Victor reluctantly took it from him and read the name on the tag. "...Scraps?" The little dog barked and wagged his tail and suddenly Victor remembered. "Scraps! My dog, Scraps!" He cried, a big smile spreading across his face. Scraps then leapt into his arms and Victor hugged the boney dog, petted his head, and put on his collar.

Emily giggled sweetly as she watched the two of them. It warmed her kind heart to see her new husband so happy; it was from Scraps that she had learned Victor's name. Reaching over, she booped Scraps on his boney nose.

"Oh Scraps, what a good boy!" Victor crooned as the dog jumped off his lap.

"I knew you'd be happy to see him!" She smiled.

"Who's my good boy? Sit, sit Scraps! Sit." Victor happily said. And Scraps sat, making Emily giggle again.

"Good boy, Scraps. Roll over, roll over!" And Scraps did.

"Good boy, Scraps! Play dead!" Scarps whined and cocked his head to the side as if to say, _ "How can I do that? I'm already dead."_

"Sorry!"

Emily giggled in a throaty, sexy way as Scraps jumped up onto her lap. "Ooh, what a cutie!" She cooed, tenderly cupping his little face in her hands.

"You should've seen him with fur." Victor joked, scratching Scarps in a place that made his tiny leg go crazy.

Emily giggled again and the two of them faced each other.

All of Victor's fear of her was gone now; how could he be scared of someone with such a kind, generous heart? He now felt a warm fondness and friendship instead. It surprised him but he knew it was true: he liked her a lot and wouldn't mind having her for a friend. He was shocked at how easy it was to talk to her, far easier then it had been to talk to Victoria at first. He didn't feel nervous or tongue-tied at all talking to Emily; after this, talking to Victoria shouldn't be hard at all... if he ever got to see her again, that is. Oh how he wanted to go back home, to tell her that he'd fallen in love with her. To stop himself from getting too sad, he went back to talking about Scraps. "Mother never approved of Scarps jumping up like this. But then again, she never approved of _anything."_ He said wistfully, petting Scrap's head.

"Do you think she would've approved of _me?"_ Emily asked innocently, petting Scarps as well.

_Oh fuck no, if it wasn't for Victoria's statues, I doubt she would've approved of her ether!_ Victor scoffed, "You're lucky you never have to meet her." And then a lightbulb went off in his head and his face brightened. _Wait a minute... that's not a bad idea. What if I told her that I'm going to take her to meet my parents? Then once we're back upstairs, I'll sneak off back to Victoria! Yes!_ "Well actually..." He gently set Scraps on the ground. "Now that you mention it, I think you _should."_

"Hm."

Feeling encouraged, he stood up and walked away from the bench. "In fact, since we're you know..." He moved his finger in a circle, suddenly feeling awkward. "...Married..." (even though he liked her, was attracted to her, and considered her a friend, she didn't make him feel the same way Victoria did) "...You should definitely meet her!"

"Mhm!" Emily nodded.

"And my father too! We should go and see them right now!" Victor said excitedly.

"Oh, what a fantastic idea! Where are they buried?" Emily squealed, jumping up and walking over to him.

"Oh." Feeling awkward again, he turned around, his heart sinking.

"What? What is it?" She asked gently, suddenly concerned.

"They're not from around here." Victor mumbled, rubbing his neck and feeling ashamed, not just of forgetting this important detail but also of what he was about to do.

"Where are they?"

Not knowing how to explain, he pointed up.

"Oh, they're still alive!" Emily gasped, putting a finger to her lips.

"I'm afraid so." He muttered sadly, looking down. _This is a bad idea anyway. If I do this, I'd be lying to her and using her and then have to betray her trust. She may be dead, but she's also a sweet girl and a friend and I don't want to hurt her feelings._

"Well, that is a problem." She mused. Just then Scarps barked. "What's that, Scarps?" She asked. He barked again; she dropped to one knee in front of him. "Oh no, we couldn't possibly!" Another bark. "Oh well, if you put it like that." She concluded, standing up.

"What?" Victor asked confused _. So apparently dead people can talk to dogs? That's very peculiar, but also kind of neat._ Then he realized something. _She must've learned my name from him, either from reading his collar or by talking to him._

"Elder Gutknecht." Emily answered in a creepy whisper.

_Well it's official. Everyone down here is out of their fucking minds. But if there's even the slightest chance I can get back to Victoria, then what do I have to lose?_ Victor thought.


	9. Elder Gutknecht

Thunder and lighting crashed as the three friends climbed the rickety winding staircase to the high tower, with Scarps barking loudly. "Shh, Scraps!" Emily shushed, putting a slender blue finger to her lips. "Elder Gutknecht, are you there?" She called out airily, reaching the top of the stairs.

Victor followed close behind her, his heart pounding both from the long climb and the eerie surroundings. Aside from the crashing of thunder and lighting and the creaking of broads everything was dead quite.

The two of them walked into a dark, shadowy room, the floorboards creaking under their feet. "Hello? Is anyone home? Hello?" Emily called.

Suddenly, Victor bumped into a sack of books knocking it over and the silence exploded with the shrill caws of ravens and Scraps' frantic barks. A lamp swung wildly until a long boney hand reached out and stilled it. Victor gasped and steeled himself for something frightening, but what appeared in the light wasn't that at all.

Atop a high pedestal was an ancient, bearded skeleton, as gnarled and twisted as the old oak tree and with a large crack in the top of his skull. The old man coughed somehow.

"There you are!" Emily exclaimed happily.

Elder Gutknecht put on his glasses and looked down. "Oh my dear, there _you_ are!" He said in a warm gravely voice.

"I've brought my husband, Victor." She said proudly, gesturing to Victor.

He blushed slightly at his new title. _Wow. You don't waste any fucking time, do you Emily?_ He thought. He wasn't sure whether to feel touched or embarrassed.

"What's that? Husband?" Elder asked, scratching his head.

"Pleasure to meet you, sir!" Victor called up to him politely.

"Hm."

"We need to go up, upstairs, to visit the land of the living." Emily demanded, pointing up and then clasping her hands in front of her.

"Land of the Living?" Elder repeated, his tone reluctant. he moved from his pedestal and began slowly walking down the steps. "Oh, my dear."

"Please, Elder Gutknecht!" Emily begged, clasping her hands. This was new to her; for in life and death she had gotten her way in nearly everything, so someone even _considering_ saying no to her made her spoiled heart clench.

"Now why go up there when people are dying to get down here?" Elder deadpanned.

"Sir, I beg you to help. It means so much to me..." Victor pleaded, clasping his hands as well, but then he realized what he said and Emily tilted her head and flashed him a beautiful smile. "... _Us."_ He corrected, his guilt raising again.

"I don't know. It's just not natural." Elder said, scratching the crack in his skull.

Seeing that they were about to lose their chance, Emily knew she had to take matters into her own hands. She knew for a fact that she had everyone in the underworld wrapped around her little finger and decided to use a tactic that almost always worked; the only time it hadn't worked was on her father on that fateful day. Walking over she gently gripped his boney hand. "Please, Elder Gutknecht! Surely there must be _something_ you can do." She crooned in a voice like silk and honey, pursing her plump lips into a cute pout and looking at him with big puppy dog eyes.

And that did it. Her charm and beauty was enough to melt the old man's tender heart. "Let me see what I can do." He said, softly patting her hand. Then letting go, he walked away, adding, "Where did I put that book?"

Emily turned and watched him go, her dark eyes sparking with triumphant. _Hook, line and sinker!_ She thought smugly as she rejoined her husband.

Opening a cabinet, Elder looked inside, pushed aside some books then closed the cabinet.

Then he opened a drawer and a cloud of ravens flew out.

Startled, Victor leaned close to Emily, who startled herself didn't notice at first until she felt the heat radiating off his body. She used this as an excuse to wrap her arm around his shoulders and he didn't try to pull away.

"Left it here somewhere." Elder mumbled, throwing books behind him and almost hitting Scraps. "Ah, there's the one." He said finally pulling a huge red book off a shelf and blowing off the dust... somehow. A few minutes later, he was back on the pedestal with the book and some other things which he set out. Opening the book, he flipped a few pages. "I have it!" He said finally, tapping the page.

Emily looked up and gasped softly, her expression hopeful.

"A Ukrainian haunting spell. Just the thing for these quick trips."

She moved closer to her husband so their shoulders were nearly touching. "So glad you thought of this!" She whispered warmly, her lips curled into a sweet smile.

Victor glanced at her briefly, surprised at her sudden closeness, but made no attempt to move away. "Me too." He mumbled, wishing he felt as happy as his wife did. This close, her flowery perfume was very strong but not unpleasantly so and he was certain she could hear how hard and loud his heart was beating. Eager as he was to get back to Victoria, he was having doubts about this plan. Unlike his parents, he hated to hurt people's feelings; he knew if this plan went wrong and he was caught, Emily would be very angry and hurt. He really didn't want that, but he saw no other way out. On the way over, he tried to think of a less hurtful plan, but he had come up blank. He had also considered telling her the truth, but lost his nerve each time he guessed because of some lingering fear or because he knew it would be pointless. As guilty as he felt, this was the only way he knew he could see Victoria again. Didn't that alone make it worth the risk?

Elder took the lid off the sliver goblet and uncorking the bottle poured in a clear liquid.

Emily glanced briefly at Victor, then back to Elder.

Elder added a pinch of red powder to the cup, then plucked a feather from a raven and added that to, then coughing again he picked up the cup and as Victor and Emily watched... drank the brew! "Now then, where were we?" he asked.

The pair exchanged a glance. "The Ukrainian haunting spell?" Emily said in her sweet voice, blinking her eyelashes at him.

"Ah." Elder grabbed the raven next to him, squeezed it, and out came a small pearly egg.

"Ah here we have it. Ready? Just remember when you want to come back, say hopscotch."

_"Hopscotch?"_ Emily giggled, beaming.

"That's it." Elder said. Then he cracked the egg and a swirling golden cloud drifted over the pair.


	10. Moon Dance

As the cloud around them faded, Victor brushed off his jacket and glanced around, they were back in the woods, right where he and Emily first met. The woods looked different now for the moon was out now bathing everything in a silvery blue light. Emily stood next to him, glowing in the moonlight like a pale pretty angel.

Emily looked around and gasped softly, pressing her fingers to her chest, overwhelmed by the beauty around her. The Land Of The Living was like something out of a gothic fairytale; the moonlight glistened on the freshly fallen snow turning everything a silvery blue and the cold fresh air smelled of snow and pine, the wind blew around them catching her veil and carrying the sounds of night creatures. She looked up at the big full moon and felt a shiver of nostalgia run down her spine and a bit of bittersweet wetness well up under her lashes. She had always loved the moonlight when she was alive and still did, but she hadn't been able to see it from her grave. "I spent so long in the darkness, I'd almost forgotten how beautiful the moonlight is!" She whispered dreamily, her veil fluttering gently in the wind. The butterfly from earlier flew past them making her giggle with delight; she had always loved butterflies as well and as it flew towards the moon, Emily felt alive again. For the first time in five years, her heart and soul felt light and free instead of feeling like heavy weights in her chest like normal. With a happy blissful sigh, she began to dance with the grace of a ballerina: she leapt forward her left arm held up and her right hand in front of her chest, then she danced to the other side, her arms out and twirled around gracefully her gown and veil swirling beautifully around her. She glided over to Victor and airily moved her arm in a circle around him, bringing to mind a succubus luring in and seducing her prey. Moving to his other side, she touched his back lightly and gave him a flirty smile.

Wracked with guilt, Victor turned away and pressed his hand to his mouth, wanting to cry. Her dancing entranced him and her beauty intoxicated him, which made what he was about to do all the harder. He reminded himself that the whole point of this plan was to get back to his true love Victoria, but he realized he was beginning to have feelings for Emily too. Though not romantic feelings, he knew he was attached to her, liked her, and saw her as a friend, but he wasn't sure how deep any of those feelings ran, but he did know that the thought of her being hurt made his heart ache.

As Emily continued to frolic through the snow, she tripped over a tree root and fell into a heap with a grunt while her skeletal leg remained waged firmly in the root. But Maggot's jeering voice quickly made her raise her head and lift the veil that had fallen over her face.

"Psst, hey. I think you dropped something." He whispered, poking out of her ear.

If Emily had been alive, her cheeks would've been blazing red with embarrassment. _Damn it, this is the first time I've felt alive in five fucking years! But I guess I just can't escape being dead for very long._ Sighing she stood up, grabbed her leg, and snapped it back on, the bones cracking loudly, just in time for Victor to turn and face her. _Oh thank god, he didn't see any of that._ She thought, feeling better. For a second, she looked unsure, but then giggling she held out her arms and kept dancing. She danced over to a tree and swung around it with one arm, then she went back to Victor and floated around him like a fairy, beckoning to him and muttering unintelligibly. Then she began dreamily spinning in a circle humming to herself.

Victor knew he had to act now before he lost his nerve and fell under her spell, reaching out he caught her by her icy shoulders, and spun her around. "Hold on, hold on." He coaxed gently, sitting her down on a log. "I think I should prepare mother and father for the big news." He told her carefully, scratching his neck with one finger. The eager trusting look she was giving him making his pulse pound. "I'll go ahead and you wait here." He went on, holding his hands up in front of him. _I wish she would stop looking at me like that, like I'm her favorite person in the world. She would move heaven and earth for me, this is already hard enough as is!_ He thought guiltily. Not because the look scared him, but because it broke his heart.

"Perfect!" Emily chirped, her large innocent eyes shining in the moonlight like chips of onyx.

Victor moved to her other side ready to leave. "I won't be long. Stay right here. Be right back!"

"Okay!" Emily said cheerily, turning away from him.

He started to leave, but then came back. "No peeking!" He teased.

She pressed her right hand to her lips and tittered cutely, then dropping her hand, she gazed up at the moon, her black eyes greedily drinking in its beauty.

Victor got ready to leave again, but hesitated for a second, his smile fading, then took off running without looking back, leaving his friend behind with the ravens still watching him. Once back in the village, he went straight to Victoria's house, not noticing the ravens perched on the roofs high above. Running up the front steps, he smoothed his black hair, brushed off his jacket, and was just about to knock on the door when he heard Finis bitching from inside.

"If ever I see that Van Dort boy, I'll strangle him with my bare hands!" He roared, locking the door and curling his hands.

"Your hands are too fat and his neck is too thin. You'll have to use a rope." Maude said calmly, sliding the other lock into place.

Gasping, Victor backed away from the door in terror. _ Well, fuck. I can't go in that way, I knew her parents were horrible and scary, but I didn't think they were THIS bad! _He had no doubt they meant what they said. _How the hell am I going to get in now? I've come this far, it's too late to turn back now!_ He hid behind a pillar to think about what to do and in doing so, he completely forgot about Emily!

Two or three hours later.

Emily sat hunched over on the log her right elbow propped in her lap, resting her cheek in her hand while her left hand laid on her lap. She sighed impatiently. _What the fuck is taking him so long? He said he would be right back. When he said he was going to talk to his parents, I thought it would take a few minutes or an hour at most, not two or three fucking hours! I mean, how damn long does it take to tell your parents you got a new wife and you want them to meet her? Not that fucking long if you talk fast! Wait a minute... this all feels very familiar, like I've been in this position before. Oh my god, this is just like the night I died. Sitting in the dark woods by the oak tree, waiting for the man I love... But Victor isn't like Barkis. Barkis was a monster who never loved me and was just using me for my money. Victor is an angel who loves me and would never use or hurt me. I didn't know Barkis at all, but I DO know Victor; I've been watching him for five years._ But then a voice echoed in her head, disrupting her thoughts and making her sit up straight. _"This is the voice of your conscience, Listen to what I say. I have a bad feeling about that boy. You know he is no..." Oh Christ, not him again. I'm already in a pissy mood, I don't need a fucking lecture!_ Emily sighed rolling her eyes, and before Maggot could finish, she banged on the side of her head with her fist until he flew out of her ear and into the snow. "Go fucking chew someone else's ear for a while!" She snapped peevishly. "Victor has gone to see his parents, just like he said." She continued, hiding her doubts behind a proud haughty mask.

But thankfully Maggot was smart enough to see right though that mask. "If I hadn't just been sitting in it, I'd say that you had lost your fucking mind!" He scoffed, rolling his eyes and wiping snow from his head with his tail. He liked to believe that he knew Emily better than anyone in the world, save for Widow of course.

"I'm sure he has a perfectly good reason..." Emily began, but then her mask slipped and she wilted a little. "...for taking so long." She finished sadly, rubbing her hands. As much as she hated to admit it, her best friend had a point. Victor had said he would be _right_ back, but it had been two or three hours and he _ still_ hadn't returned. It was finally beginning to dawn on her that something was wrong. Her mind drifted back to Barkis and a dark thought crossed her mind. _What if this is just a trap and he brought me here just to abandon me?_ The thought made her want to cry.

"Oh I'm sure he does. Why don't you go ask him?" Maggot suggested, climbing out of the hole.

"Alright, I will!" Emily retorted stubbornly, her mask snapping back on in a flash. _I'm just being silly thinking these things. Victor is my husband and he loves me, he would never abandon me! He brought me here to meet his parents and that's what I'm going to do!_

"After all, he couldn't get far with those cold feet." Maggot joked, squirming over to Victor's footprints in the snow.

Emily stood up and after putting him back in her head, began following the footprints back into the village.


	11. Hopscotch

Victor came to stand under Victoria's balcony and brushed off his hands. After a long period of thinking, he realized that the only way he'd be able to get in and see his love again was to climb up to her balcony. _How romantic, just like Romeo and Juliet. AND how fitting as our love is a forbidden one, just like theirs._ He thought and began to scale the balcony.

Victoria sat in a chair by the fire calmly stitching a purple and burgundy checked blanket; she had a saddened expression on her beautiful face as she sewed. _Oh my love, where are you?_ She thought, a little tear spotting the blanket. At that moment, Victor reached the top. Because her back was facing the glass doors she didn't see him, but when he fell over the railing, the thump he made started her and she let out a tiny gasp. _What in the world was that?_ She wondered glancing around, but she could find nothing. _I must be hearing things._ She shrugged her little shoulders and went back to stitching.

_God damnit. I bet when Romeo did this, he didn't fall over the railing and land on his face like a klutz._ Victor thought, his cheeks flushed from the cold wind and embarrassment. _Oh good. She was facing away, so that means she didn't see that._ _Thank god!_ He thought as he stood up, walked to the doors and knocked.

The sound of knocking made her jump and gasp. Turning around, she saw her beloved standing at her balcony doors. Tears of joy filled her brown eyes and she gasped again, her tiny rosebud lips curling into a smile like sunshine. Putting her sewing aside, she jumped up and hurried over to the doors, quickly opening one and letting him in, her finger pressed to her lips.

Victor slumped against the door, panting heavily and closing his eyes. after two seconds he opened his eyes and glazed into his beloveds beautiful brown orbs. "Victoria!" He said warmly, the sight of her making him want to cry with happiness.

"Victor, I'm so happy to see you!" Victoria beamed, a little tear sliding down her rosy cheek. She took him by the hand and led him to the fire. "Come by the fire. Where've you been? Are you alright?" She asked concerningly, sitting back down in her chair as he sat on the stool across from her.

"I-I-I... Oh dear." _What's the point? She's not going to fucking believe me! Hell, I wouldn't believe me if I hadn't been there!_

"You're as cold as death! What's happened to you?" She gasped gently touching his hand. "Your coat!"

Victor brushed off his shoulder and took a deep breath, knowing it was time to tell her. Oddly enough, he didn't feel nervous at all anymore. "Victoria, I confess. This morning, I was terrified of marriage."

Victoria stared back at him, her big brown eyes open wide as she listened to him.

Victor reached over and took her soft little hand in his again, the same current of emotion coursing through his blood.

"But then on meeting you, I felt I should be with you always." He took her other hand, which was so warm in comparison to Emily's cold ones and gazed into her lovely face. "And that our wedding could not come soon enough!"

She gasped softly, the crack in her heart suddenly mended. "Victor, I feel the _same!"_ She cooed, closing her eyes and lacing her fingers with his.

The two of them leaned in gently about to have their first kiss, but before their lips could touch, Victor glanced over her shoulder and what he saw made him gasp and draw back in horror. Emily was slowly and gracefully climbing up the balcony, backlit by the moon, her veil rippling in the wind, an image straight out of a gothic painting.

Victoria did the same and started to turn, but Victor grabbed her face and made her look at him.

"Victoria, I se... I se... I seem to find myself married!" He stuttered, beginning to tremble with fear. "And you should know it's unexpected!" But before he could finish the doors burst open, flooding the room with a strong gust of cold wind. Emily entered, her long veil billowing over her face and making her look more ghostlike then ever! The pair gasped and leapt to their feet, Victoria looking shocked and Victor looking horrified.

_Shit, not a very good first impression. Well maybe I can still save it._ Emily thought, flipping her veil out of her face. "My darling, I just wanted to meet..." But once the cloth wasn't blocking her view anymore, the rest of the words died on her tongue and she could only gasp, her hands hovering in the air. Victor was there as she expected, but standing next to him was _not_ his parents, but a very pretty young girl with brown hair and brown eyes who looked to be the same age as Victor; the little girl gasped and gaped at her in horror. Emily's mind was racing so fast it would've made her dizzy if she'd been alive. _What the fucking hell is going on here?! Who the fuck is this girl? His sister? No, that can't be right. He would of told me if he had a sister. But then who...?_ And suddenly everything clicked into place. _She's his girlfriend! That's why he told me to wait in the woods so he could go off and cheat on me with her! He never wanted me to meet his parents, that bastard lied to me!_ The realization made her furious, but then another thought managed to squelch her rage somewhat. _She may be his girlfriend, but I'M his WIFE. If this little twat thinks she can have him, then she's out of her fucking mind! Victor is MINE and I'm going to make that clear and put that little bitch in her place!_ And pining her proud haughty mask back on, she went over to Victor, grabbed his arm with both hands and pulled him to her. "Darling, who's _this?"_ Emily purred, fixing Victoria with a smug haughty smirk and looking her up and down, her healthy complexion and rosy cheeks making her jealous.

"Who the fuck is _she?"_ The poor girl demanded, her heart hammering loudly in her chest. She was shocked at herself for swearing out loud, but she was so frightened and confused she couldn't help it.

Emily's smirk widened: _Oh, so the little bitch can swear? Well so can I!_ She could hear Victoria's panicked heartbeat and the sound filled her with a savage envy. _"I'm_ his fucking _wife,_ bitch!" She drawled proudly, pressing her right hand to her chest and thrusting her boney left one at Victoria, the gold ring flashing in the firelight. Satisficed that she had gotten her point across, Emily drew back and folded her arms over her chest, her full pink lips twisting into a smug, triumphant smirk. _I win, bitch. He's MINE!_ She thought, clearly getting off on Victoria's fear and discomfort.

Victor's eyes darted from one girl to the other, feeling panicked and embarrassed. _I'm fucked, I'm so fucked! This was such a bad idea! Now I've hurt BOTH of their feelings and Emily's going to kill me, probably literally!_ He thought.

"Victor!" Victoria asked, looking at him.

_Fuck, I've got to do something or I'm going to lose her!_ "Victoria, wait! You don't understand! She's _dead,_ look!" Victor said, grabbing Emily's boney hand and waving it in front of his girlfriend. But that was quite the wrong thing to say and do.

This insult crumbled Emily's haughty mask and a soul-consuming rage engulfed her. Scoffing angerly, she indignantly pulled away from Victor and stood in front of the open doors, her veil catching the wind again. _"HOPSCOTCH!"_ She hissed, her dark eyes blazing like the fiery pits of hell. Thunder and lightning crashed, throwing shadows across her face that made her look like a demon. Reaching out her boney arm, she snatched Victor's wrist and roughly yanked him to her, clamping him tight against her trembling form.

"No, no! Victoria!" Victor screeched, reaching out to his beloved who reached back.

But Emily barely heard him over the rage pounding in her ears, as they flew backwards out the doors. The wind howled past them and the ravens swirled around them, engulfing them in blackness again.


	12. The Other Woman

As the cloud of ravens cleared, Victor saw that they were back in the tower in the land of the dead, but then he was faced with a sight that chilled his blood: Emily's livid scowling face. Before he could even try to say something, she drew back her right hand and struck him hard across the face, the force of the blow nearly knocking him over.

"You fucking lied to me!" She shrieked, shoving him across the room as anger and hurt boiled in her bloodless veins. "Just to back to that other woman!" She seethed, turning away and crossing her slim arms, wishing she could stop shaking. The words _'that other woman'_ tasted like bitter poison in her mouth. _How dare he cheat on me! We've only been married a few hours and he's already bored with me! What an ass, and to think I called him an angel!_ She closed her eyes and frowned, waiting for him to fall to his knees and beg for forgiveness, the way anyone did if they dared to cross her.

"Don't you understand? _You're_ the other woman!" Victor told her gently, rubbing his already bruising cheek. _Damn, she hits hard. But I deserved it._ He thought glumly.

His words shocked Emily so much she forgot to be angry. _What the fuck? That's not the right answer! After what you did, you should be on your knees begging for forgiveness and comforting me, hugging me, kissing me! Anything but calling ME the other woman!_ She didn't know what to do and that frustrated her as she had always prided herself on always knowing how to get her way. She thought she had her husband wrapped around her little finger just like everyone else, but apparently not. Her shaking increased and icy tears rushed to her eyes, but then she got the idea to use another nearly full proof tactic. _No one can bear to see me cry. If he really is as kindhearted as I thought he was, he'll melt just like everyone else. My tantrums almost always work and besides, why should he be allowed to be happy when he's making me fucking miserable?_ She turned around and began wildly gesturing with her hands and pointing upward, her eyes shining with tears. "No! You're married to _ME! SHE'S_ the other woman!" She whined, her beautiful face crumpling and her angelic voice cracking with emotion. Then she turned away, buried her face in her mismatched hands and began to sob quietly, big glassy tears rolled down her blue cheeks and dripped off her chin.

Victor was horrified as Emily burst into tears; this was the scariest thing he'd seen all day, far scarier then her rage. At least that he knew how to deal with since his mother was a total bitch, but Nell had always been more prone to anger and yelling than tears and sobs. He raised his hand to tell her not to cry and maybe try to comfort her, but was stopped by Elder clearing his throat... somehow.

"She's got a point." He said sagely. No sooner had the words left his mouth than Emily's soft sobs turned to high pitched wails. Victor lowered his hand and closed his mouth suddenly realizing what was going on; by taking her side, Elder had made things worse because he had given her what she wanted, attention and pity. This was something he was _VERY_ familiar with. Whenever he and Nell had a fight, like for instance the one they had when his parents told him he was going to marry Victoria, Will always took Nell's side which just made her act out more until Victor either gave up and walked away or just gave in. _Well, I've given in for the last time. I'm just going to keep my mouth shut and let her cry herself out._ So he stood there, wringing his hands and feeling guilty and uncomfortable.

"And I thought... I thought this was all going so well!" She wailed in between sobs. And to his surprise, her eye popped out again and dropped to the floor causing her to burst into deep guttural sobs that ripped right through his soft heart. The eyeball rolled across the floor and hit against his foot; he reached down and picked it up, inwardly cringing at the texture. _Ew, it feels so moist and slimy and wet. Well, that does make sense since she's crying... because of me. God I REALLY hate myself right now._ He thought. Pushing his disgust aside, he crossed the room over to the heaving girl, aching with pity for her.

"She's got a point." Elder told Victor.

_Damn right I do! Good old Elder, I can always count on him to take my side._ Emily thought smugly. _Time to amp it up to get Victor on my side, too._ Uncovering her wet face, she changed her quite sobs to high pitched wails causing more tears to stream down her cheeks fueled by memories of him and Victoria; the way he looked at her and said her name so unlike how he did to her. Thinking quickly, she first wiped under her right eye with her finger then grabbed her veil and began to pitifully dab at her tears with it. She tried to wipe the tear at the corner of her right eye, but it slid down her cheek so she wiped the one beading at the corner of her left eye, dabbing underneath it, sobbing miserably as she did, and not noticing her tears were making her mascara run. "And I thought... I thought this was all going so well!" She wailed in between her sobs, rolling her eyes up in her head to push out more tears. It worked as she felt two huge glossy drops roll down her cheeks, but the force of her weeping and the slickness of all her tears made her eye pop of its socket and drop to the floor. Feeling embarrassed, Emily burst into deep guttural sobs and began to bawl in earnest which quickly turned to heaving, her little shoulders quivering with sobs. When the heaving stopped, she felt tired and drained. _God, these tantrums are fucking exhausting! But that HAD to of melted him into a puddle by now._ She thought, wiping under the empty socket with her fingers and blinking her other eye. Her full lips set in a sulky pout, she began to play with her boney finger. Feeling his eyes on her back, he came to stand behind her and she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Look. I'm sorry, but... this just _can't_ work." Victor said kindly, polishing her eye on his jacket and holding it out to her.

_What? Now he's breaking up with me?! What the hell is wrong with him?! No man down here can resist my tantrums! Am I losing my touch?_ Emily wanted to stomp her foot, but after losing her leg in the woods, she was worried it might snap off again; either that or her foot would go though the floor, so she settled for playing the victim instead. "Why not?" She demanded in a petulant whiny tone, snatching her eyeball from his hand and clasping it across her chest in a hugging motion. She sniffled piteously and then a thought came to her. _My eye popping out must've disgusted him. No wonder he wants to break up, who would want a wife who loses her fucking eyeball all the time?_ "It's my _eye,_ isn't it?" She whimpered tearfully, choking back a sob, a little tear beading on her lash.

Hearing her choking back another sob, Victor felt his pulse quicken. _No, please not again. One time was hard enough to watch. If you start crying again, then I'm going to cry._ "No!" He denied quickly, holding up his hands in surrender. "Your eye is..." He turned away as she popped it back in searching for the right word. _"... Lovely." _He finished awkwardly, the pooping sound making him uneasy. He crossed the room as she turned around again wringing his hands. "Listen, different circumstances, well... who knows?" He began kindly, but firmly, turning around to face her, the dejected look she was giving him making his heart clench with pity. "But we're just _ too_ different, I mean you're _ dead."_ He finished desperately, holding out his hands and hoping he'd finally gotten though to her.

_Fuck, he's __stubborn. But so am I. Maybe if I push a bit harder, he'll finally break._ "You should've thought about that before you asked me to marry you!" Emily retorted, her eyes downcast and her voice thick with tears again.

And with that, Victor finally lost his patience with her. _How dare she put all the blame on me?! I understand her being angry and hurt about what I did, it was very wrong and selfish of me and she has a right to be upset! But she has NO right to blame this whole fuckup on ME! I never asked for this! She fucking kidnapped me and dragged me into this and now she's embarrassed me in front of Victoria and probably gave her a minor heart attack! And yet, this entitled little bitch has the gall to stand there, fucking push me, and act like she's an innocent victim in all this when she clearly fucking is NOT!_ The annoyed, frustrated words spilled out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Why can't you understand it was a mistake?! I would never marry you!" He snapped indignantly, waving his hands around. But no sooner had the words left his mouth than he wished he could take them back.

Those words stung Emily like the slap she had given him and bruised her just as much, shattering her already fragile heart into a million pieces. Her throat felt so tight she couldn't speak, so she simply stared at him as her exquisite features crumpled into a look of pure heartbreak.

Victor started back at her, shocked and hurt by his own words. _Oh fuck, what have I done? I didn't mean to say that out loud, or at all for that matter! I mean yes, the marriage was a mistake, but I didn't mean to say it like that and hurt her feelings again! Now she'll hate me and I don't want that. She may be dead, but I like her a lot and she's the only friend I have down here besides Scraps, and one of the very few friends I've ever had and now I'm going to lose her. I've got to apologize._ But she didn't give him the chance. With a heartbreaking sigh, Emily turned and walked away hanging her head and blinking back tears. He watched as she slowly approached the staircase; he raised his hand and opened his mouth to speak, but his throat also felt too tight to say a word, so he could only watch as she gracefully glided down the steps, her train brushing the stairs and her veil flapping gently behind her. Once he lost sight of her, he closed his brown eyes, hung his head, and sighed heavily, his own heart aching more than the bruise on his cheek. Then after a few minutes, he left the tower himself.


	13. Tears To Shed

Blinded by tears, Emily walked behind the Ball and Socket, the clicking of her white heels on the hard stone ground echoing loudly in her ears. Through her tears, she saw her little blue bouquet laying on the ground marking the entrance to her bedroom. _Thank fuck I thought to do this or I might've gotten lost, especially in this state._ And picking it up, she entered her room: it was a spacious ally cluttered with old junk, quiet and dimly lit, but none of that mattered to her right now. Actually, she wasn't really sure if _anything_ mattered anymore. She pulled off her veil and carelessly flung it onto an old bike, not giving a fuck if it got lost, torn or winkled, or even if the crown fell apart. She walked quickly to her little red coffin-shaped bed and going up the steps slumped down onto the mattress, feeling the heartbreak deep in the marrow of her bones as the overhead light reflected off her flowing blue hair. With so many feelings and emotions swirling around in her head, she began to vent them on the flowers. "Roses for eternal love." She huffed, angerly ripping out a blue rose and dropping the dried petals on the ground. Oddly enough, her anger was more at herself than at Victor or Victoria. _God, I really hate myself right now. How could I be so stupid as to fall for the same trick TWICE? I thought I knew Victor since I've watched him for five years, but I was wrong. I knew him as well as I knew Barkis, which is not at all. I thought he was an angel, but no he only looks like one and that's what drew me in. I fell for his handsome face, kind eyes, and gentle voice. I thought he'd be the one to ease my pain and loneliness, but I was wrong. Maggot was right, I shouldn't have put my full trust in a guy I just met. I really fucking hate when he's right! Victor was my last hope for true happiness, but I just need to face it. Any chance at true happiness was taken away by that sword to the ribs and now I know the truth, I'll never be truly happy! Well I'm done, done hoping, done dreaming, done hiding, I'm done with everything! I give up!_ By now, her anger had faded and given way to a terrible sadness. "And lilies for sweetness." She said more gently, taking a handful of dried lilies and letting them fall. Ever since she died, she had been showered with so much love and attention, but had never gotten the one thing she needed most, understanding. She wasn't sure how or why, but she could still feel every feeling and emotion she had in life which left her in a state of constant agony and the fact that no one else could frustrated and confused her. She tried to talk to them about it , but they never seemed to hear her so she had taken to swallowing her pain and hiding behind her mask. But now her mask was as shattered as her heart and she was never putting it back on again. She heaved a deep, heavy sigh and glanced down at her flowers through her tear glossed eyes, her chest tight with emotion. "Baby's breath..." She began, but the lump of tears in her throat choked her: _Babies are what I'll NEVER have because I'm fucking dead! All because I didn't listen to my father and got myself killed! Now I'm a broken freak who can still feel and cry and I'm stuck in limbo because I was never able to get married!_ With a tearful sigh, she flung her bouquet away from her and hung her head, closing her eyes and fighting back tears, but a little diamond fell from her lash and landed in her lap where her hands lay, the coldness seeping into the silk. _Even my tears are weird, they're cold instead of hot. I really am a freak._ Unbeknownst to her, Scraps sniffed the bouquet and whimpered sympathetically.

"Why so blue, Emily?" Widow asked gently, lowering next to her. The little girl sat up and turned her head and Widow saw that her mascara had run and pooled in the hollows of her eyes making her look like a very pretty racoon, but she didn't mention it not wanting to cause her best friend any further distress.

"Maybe he's _right._ Maybe we _are too different."_ Emily whimpered wearily, sniffling and hanging her head again. Realizing her vision was blurry, she wiped her hand across her eyes. _"Maybe that fucker should have his head examined!"_ Maggot's voice rang out in her head again and she quickly pulled him out of her ear as he grunted. She held him between her boney fingers and turned to look at him. Normally, she would've been annoyed at him for making jokes at a time like this, but right now she was feeling so miserable that she was grateful for the company.

"I could do it." He joked.

"Or perhaps he _does_ belong with her, Little Miss Living." Emily grumbled bitterly, as tears filled her eyes again. "With her _rosy_ cheeks and _beating_ heart." She sniffled, gesturing to her cheek then resting it in her hand, pouting. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't stay mad at Victoria for longer than a second for she knew it wasn't _her_ fault that she was _alive._ But oh how she _envied_ her. As she thought this, a thick crystal droplet spilled down her icy cheek.

As she cried, Maggot and Widow watched sympathetically; they both loved Emily more than life itself. She was their best friend and almost like a daughter to them and it hurt them to see her so upset so they decided to try to make her feel better. "Oh, those girls are ten a fucking penny! _You've_ got so much _more! _You've got... you've got... you've got a wonderful personality!" Widow said, trying to be helpful, but failing.

_Wow, really? You didn't hear a fucking word I just said. This is just like talking to the others!_ Emily thought, looking at Widow with her chin resting in her hand. She shook her head, then slumped her cheek back into her hand with a wistful pout. It's not that she didn't _like_ compliments. She _loved _them, but this just seemed to be the go-to for anyone when she tried to talk about her pain. Frankly by this point, she was sick of being showered with compliments when she just wanted to be understood.

Maggot and Widow exchanged a look and decided to try to cheer her up in the only way they knew how, by stroking her ego. "What does that wispy little brat have that _you_ don't have double?" Maggot sang, starting to sway. _" She _can't hold a candle to the beauty of _ your_ smile!" Widow chimed in, swaying as well.

"How about a fucking _pulse?"_ Emily retorted grumpily, turning slightly and tossing Maggot onto the backboard of the bed.

"Overrated by a mile!"

"Overvalued!"

"Overblown!"

"If _he_ only knew the _you_ that _we_ know." The pair sang together, leaning close together and earning a narrow-eyed glare from Emily.

Sighing, Emily rested her boney hand on the headboard, already feeling frustrated with her friends.

"And that silly little creature isn't wearing _his_ ring!" Widow pointed out crawling down the headboard and lifting the boney ringed finger as Maggot popped up next to her.

"And _she_ doesn't play piano!"

"Or dance, or sing." "No, _she_ doesn't compare." They sang together.

"But _she_ still _breathes air."_ Emily replied sadly, turning around and gripping the backboard as they joined her.

"Who cares?"

"Unimportant!"

"Overrated!"

"Overblown!"

"If only _ he _could see, how special _you_ can be, if _ he _only knew the _you_ that _ we _know!" The pair sang, leaning together again.

By now, Emily was leaning on the backboard and resting her head on her clasped hands as she stared at them. She was feeling very tired, but knew she had to try to make them understand. She had been swallowing her pain for far too long and needed to let it out so she stood up and began to sing in her beautiful, sweet, rich, voice so full of feeling. "If I touch a burning candle, I can feel _no_ pain." She sang, hugging her arms across her chest and walking a few steps then dropping her arms. She turned around and walked the other way as her friends and Scraps looked on with pity. "If you cut me with a knife, it's still the _ same." _By now, she had reached the old red door and going up the steps she leaned against it as she sang mournfully, "And I know _her_ heart is _beating,_ and I know that _I_ _am_ _dead._ Yet the pain here that I _feel_ , try and tell me it's _ not real."_ She turned around and leaned back against the door, pressing her hand to her chest, tears shining in her eyes again. "And it seems that I _still_ have a _ tear_ to shed." She whimpered as she slid down the door and sunk down on the steps, hanging her head and closing her eyes against the tears. Truthfully, her fight and breakup with Victor was only partly what was upsetting her; the bulk of it was that was that her heart could be hurt and broken but her body couldn't and that confused and scared her. She tried to hurt herself before in an effort to _ feel _something after her death and to stop the mental and emotional pain: burning her hands and cutting her skin, but she never _ felt _anything and the marks always faded since dead tissue somehow regenerates. But her _heart?_ That might as well have been made of glass because of how fragile and easily broken it was. Right now, she wished she could reach into her chest and _literally _rip her heart out to stop the pain, but she knew it would be pointless as she tried that before and it never helped. The pain always remained and her heart always grew back and the hole in her chest always mended. Emotional pain was something she was used to by now, but pain this intense was something she hadn't felt since after she died. No doubt because that and the first year after her death was the last time her heart had been broken, her desires had always been satisfied, save for the ones of marriage and sex, so there had been no cause for heartbreak until now. The waves of pain and depression were threatening to swallow her and now, she was more than willing to let them. But before that could happen, Maggot and Widow popped up again startling her out of her reverie.

"The sole redeeming feature from that little creature is that she's _alive!"_ Maggot sang, then Widow joined in.

Emily stared at him, then looked down with a soundless sigh, starting to feel annoyed at her best friends.

"Overrated!"

"Overblown!"

"Everybody knows that's just a _temporary_ state, which is cured very quickly when we meet our fate." Widow chimed in as Scraps trotted up to the steps and laid Emily's bouquet in front of her, wagging his boney tail.

"Who cares?"

"Unimportant!"

"Overrated!"

"Overblown!"

"If only _ he_ could see how special _you_ can be, if _he_ only knew the _you _that _we_ know!" The pair sang together.

And with that, Emily finally lost her patience and pinged them away. _I give up. I'm just fucking wasting my time trying to make them understand. It's like talking to a brick wall with them! I'm pouring out my fucking heart to them and all they hear is I got dumped and am jealous of Victoria! In their effort to make me feel better, all they did was make me feel worse and show me that I can't count on anyone anymore! Up until now, I thought they were the only ones I could count on to understand my pain, but no! They're just like everyone else, no one can help me, I'm completely and totally... alone._ Blinded by tears again and with her heart and soul feeling like heavy stones in her chest, she got up and slowly walked back to her bed. Sinking back down on the red mattress she hung her head, clasped her hands, and began to sing again, her lovely voice raw with pain as her friends watched sadly. "If I touch a burning candle I can feel _no_ pain. In the ice or in the sun, it's all the _same."_ Exhausted, she laid down on her back and kept singing, clenching her boney fist. "Yet I _feel_ my heart is _aching ,_ though it doesn't _beat,_ it's _breaking._ And the pain here that I _feel,_ try and tell me it's _not real."_ She sobbed, clasping her hands over her heart then crossing her arms in a hugging motion. Sniffling, she turned onto her side and settled against the red pillow resting her blue-skinned hand next to her cheek. "I know that _I am dead,_ yet it seems that I _still_ have some _tears_ to shed." As she closed her eyes, a big tear rolled down her nose and splashed onto the ground in front of Maggot and Widow, who finally realizing that they're out of their depth, sighed and left her to sleep. After they left, the poor child did fall asleep, but exhausted as she was, her sleep wasn't a peaceful one; it was filled with tears and nightmares, the waves of pain and depression finally swallowing her whole.


	14. Victoria's escape

Meanwhile back in The Land of the Living

A terrible storm was raging. Rain lashed though the dark gloomy streets, making them look even gloomier and the crash of thunder and the flash of lighting were everywhere. All this was fitting for inside the Everglot mansion another storm was brewing. Poor Victoria frantically paced up and down her room, her beautiful face was pale and tense and two silkily strands of walnut hair had come loose from her bun and hung limply about her face, she was shaking pitifully and under the high collar of her jacket her delicate neck was blotchy from stress. "It's true, mother! Victor is married to a _dead_ woman!" she cried, sliding her trembling hands over her pale cheeks. "I saw her, a fucking _corpse,_ standing right the fuck here with Victor!" She finished, gesturing wildly with her hands. She didn't know what had come over her, but ever since Victor and Emily had left, she seemed to have lost control of her tongue and if that wasn't bad enough, she had a throbbing headache and her heart was pounding so hard she felt like she couldn't catch her breath. And this was without her corset, which she had to take off because the shock of seeing Victor and Emily fly off her balcony had nearly made her faint. Also the crack in her heart was back and it was worse than ever.

"Victor was in your room?!" Maude snapped, totally missing the point.

_Wow, really? THAT'S the only part you heard? Did you miss the part about Victor being married to a lovely dead lady?!_ Victoria thought fighting not to roll her eyes. "I have to help him!" She moaned, holding out her hands.

"The scandal!" Maude yelled, totally unsympathetic to her daughter's plight.

"Oh come sit in your chair, deary. You're shaking like a leaf! Let Hilda fetch you a blanket." Hilda crooned, taking the little girl's hand and patting it gently.

But Maude slapped them apart. "Fetch her a straitjacket! She's completely fucking mad!" "Come, Hildegarde!" She bellowed. And with that the two of them left, locking the poor girl in her room like a prisoner.

Now _most_ girls in Victoria's place would've fallen into her chair and broken down crying, but Victoria was much tougher than most girls and much smarter too. Shocked, she backed away until she reached the balcony doors; she jiggled the handle and the door opened with ease. She hurried out and put her hands on the wet stone ledge, then she gasped softly her chocolate eyes narrowing thoughtfully as she got an idea for how to climb down. Going back inside, she grabbed the blanket she had been sewing and bringing it back outside flung it over the wall; her plan was to use it like a rope to climb down, like in the story of _Rapunzel_ when the prince and the witch used Rapunzel's hair to enter and exit the tower. The thought terrified her, but her love for Victor and her determination to help him were stronger than her fear. So with her heart in her throat, she took a deep breath and carefully climbed up on the ledge, the stone was slippery under her little boots but she managed to keep her balance and gripping the blanket tightly began to climb down. At first, it wasn't too bad as it seemed to be working, but the rain made the cloth slippery and she slid down until she was dangling in the air and there was nothing left to climb on. _Damn, it's too short!_ She thought, gasping. Suddenly, the blanket began to tear and if that wasn't bad enough, she was now dangling right in front of the window that Finis was standing in front of and looking at his watch. _Oh my god, this is bad! This is so fucking bad, I'm either going to die or get caught! And right now, I'm not sure which is worse!_ She whimpered as the sounds of the storm howled in her ears mingling with the pounding of her heart.

"Finis, come to bed at once!" Maude ordered.

Victoria gripped the cloth so tight that her already pale knuckles turned white. As she held her breath and waited, trying to still her racing heart, the sound of the ripping seams louder in her ears then the rain or thunder. But after groaning for two seconds, Finis finally turned and waddled away just in time for the blanket to rip completely and send the poor child falling with a shriek... only to land safely on her pretty little feet. Now once again, most other girls in Victoria's place would've done one of three things: burst into tears, faint dead away or just give up. But instead, the brave girl simply threw what was left of the blanket over her head like a cloak and set off for the church. The walk to the church was long, cold, and wet, but she never once stopped or thought of going back for her love for Victor kept her warm and drove her on. By the time she reached the foreboding stone building, she was weary and nearly soaked to the bone; the pounding in her head had also increased, but she was no less determined. Climbing the steep stone steps, her makeshift cloak blowing in the wind, she rapped on the door with the ornate gold knocker like a traveler seeking sanctuary at Notre Dame.

Meanwhile inside Pastor was muttering to himself. "What in heaven's name? Who could that be at this hour?" And candle in hand he opened the door.

Victoria pulled down her hood; her sopping hair was bedraggled and plastered in rat tails to her wet heart-shaped face and the ruffles on the bottom of her skirt were sodden and stained with mud. She brought to mind the mystery princess from _the Princess and the Pea_ fairy tale.

"Miss Everglot, what are you doing here? You should be at home, prostrate with grief!" Pastor demanded, eyeing the dripping girl with disgust.

"Pastor Galswells, I have to ask you something!" Victoria panted, shivering in the cold.

"This is most _irregular."_ He retorted unsympathetically and began to shut the door, but she pushed her way in.

"Please, I beg of you! You are the _only_ one in the village who knows of what awaits beyond the _grave!"_ She pleaded, standing in front of him.

"A grim topic for a bride-to-be."

"It is a _bride_ I fear, which is why I must know..." Victoria paused for a second, her tiny hands clasped in front of her. "...Can the living _marry_ the dead?"

As if on cue, a flash of lighting briefly lit up the room. "What on earth are you speaking about?!" Pastor bellowed.

Victoria could feel what was left of her self control slipping and her panic taking over. "Please it's Victor! He's married to a _corpse,_ he has a fucking _corpse bride!"_ She wailed, her voice becoming high pitched and hysterical. "There must be some way to undo what's been done!" She finished, sucking in a deep breath. And she stared at the pastor with such beseeching, tear-filled eyes that he _finally seemed_ convinced.

"I believe I know the thing to do." He replied slowly and poor Victoria felt her heart leap. "Come with me." He said putting out the candle with his fingers.

Back at the Everglot mansion.

The door swung open to revel Pastor grasping a thrashing and pissed off Victoria by her tiny shoulders.

"Victoria, where are your corsets?!" Maude barked, missing the point _again._

"She's speaking in tongues, of unholy alliances! Her mind has come undone, I fear!" Pastor bellowed.

"Its not true, let me go, let me go!" Victoria shrieked, ripping from his grasp only to be grabbed by her mother.

"Thank you, Pastor Galswells. Thank you so very much." Maude said sweetly and closed the door. "Take her to her room!" She roared tossing the sodden blanket on the floor.

"No, I'm telling the truth!" Victoria begged as Emil grabbed one arm and Hilda the other and began to drag her away as she struggled. "Victor needs my help!" The repressed tears began to flow down her cheeks mingling with the rain water and her voice became hysterical again. "Hildegarde, you believe me, don't you?" There was no answer from her trusted friend. "Mother, Father, please!" They simply glowered at her. Now feeling helpless and alone, the poor girl began to sob.

"Seal the doors and bar the windows! See to it that she doesn't escape again!" Maude growled.

"He needs our help! Oh let me go, let me go!" Victoria wailed as she was dragged upstairs, but her cries were paid no heed and she was simply thrown back in her room. As soon as they let go, the poor girl collapsed into her chair and buried her face in her hands, weeping bitterly. But once again, she was ignored as the windows and doors were boarded up, then Emil coldly left, but Hilda paused briefly to tenderly kiss her beloved's wet hair before she left to locking the door behind her, showing that while she may not have _believed_ her, she did still _ love_ her. Once the door closed, Victoria stopped crying and lifted her head, feeling encouraged again; maybe it was Hilda's kiss or maybe it was just her love for Victor, but she knew she had to keep trying. Thinking quickly she wiped her eyes on her sleeve, stood up, and went to the fireplace, then she grabbed a poker and returned to the door.

Meanwhile back downstairs, the parents were acting like the complete wastes of life that they are. "Will the mortification never cease?" Maude moaned rubbing her hands over her ugly face. "It will be years before we can show ourselves in public again! What shall we do?"

"We shall continue as planned with or without Vincent!" Finis said.

"Victor." Maude corrected.

"Whatever."

Meanwhile, Barkis had been hiding in the shadows the whole time, listening to everything and waiting to make an entrance. _ Perfect, this is going better then I hoped it would. The little bitch has lost her fucking mind and now they're desperate because that silly little boy is missing! Time for me to swoop in and be the hero again._ And with that he walked out. "For that boy to toss aside a young woman like Victoria... it's positively criminal!" He bemoaned, putting a hand over his ugly face and feigning distress. _No, what's really criminal is tossing aside the chance to get all of her money._ "Why, if I had a woman like your daughter on my arm, I would lavish her with riches befitting royalty!" _Now let's see if they're dumb enough to fall for it._

"Your lady wife is a most fortunate woman." Maude remarked, taking the bait.

_Wow, that was almost too easy. They really are as dense as rocks, unlike Emily's father. That old man was far too smart for his own good. He saw right through me right from the start, unlike his pretty daughter who was ever so stupid and just as desperate. I had her wrapped around my little finger within two minutes. Ah, that was fun. Time to amp it up and reel them in._ "Alas, I am _not _married. I was _betrothed_ some years ago..." He paused and turned away, pretending to be tearful. "…but _tragedy_ snatched my young bride away!" _Yeah, and that tragedy was me! But the real tragedy was that her damn money went so fast!_ "When one lives alone, _wealth_ counts for naught!" Maude and Finis exchanged a crafty look and Barkis knew he'd won!

Meanwhile back upstairs.

Grunting Victoria smashed the fire poker into the door then did it again, by now her sweat had matted most of her hair back into place, save for two long pieces. Just then the door unlocked and gasping, she quickly hid the poker behind her back. The door opened and her parents walked in, looking mildly pleased, which was more than a little unnerving.

"Marvelous news, Victoria, there'll be a wedding after all!" Finis announced.

"You found him?" She asked softy, feeling her heart leap again.

"Make haste, my dear! Our relatives will arrive at any moment!" Maude said, greedily rubbing her hands together. "We must have you looking presentable for Lord Barkis!"

Victoria gasped softly and the poker fell from her hands with a clang. "Lord Barkis..." She repeated softly, blanching and feeling like she'd just been doused in ice water.

"He will make a fine _husband."_ Maude said.

"Aye, a _fortuitous_ turn of events indeed!" Finis added.

"A _far_ better prospect this time."

Poor Victoria felt like her whole world was falling apart all around her. "But I do not love him." She began, walking forward. "You cannot make me do this!" She exclaimed, clenching her fist and trying to sound brave and tough.

"We _must!"_ Finis barked, and Victoria's brave front crumbled in an instant.

"Please, I beg of you! There must be another way!" She cried, scalding tears welling up in her eyes again.

"Without your marriage to Lord Barkis, we shall be forced, penniless, into the street! We are _destitute!"_ Finis explained bluntly.

"But Victor!" The poor child whimpered sobbingly; she was wringing her hands and her lower lip quivered.

"Victor Van Dort is _ gone_ child!" Maude answered coldly, apparently not caring that her daughter was on the verge of tears.

"You shall marry Lord Barkis tomorrow." Finis ordered as he and his wife walked out the door.

Poor Victoria stood there trembling, hanging her head and pressing her hands over her breaking heart; her little knees wobbling under her muddy skirt.

"According to plan!" The pair glared at their daughter and slammed the door shut.

The second the door closed, the poor girl collapsed on the floor and burst into floods of tears; her hands pressed hard against her face to muffle her sobs for she knew if she was heard, her parents would tell her to _shut up and be happy._ But _how_ could she _ever_ be happy again now that her heart lay in pieces on the floor and her life as she knew it was over? She knew for a fact she would much rather live on the streets than marry that conniving bastard, but she didn't have the energy to fight with her parents about it anymore or to do anything but sit there and cry. If only she knew that deep in the Underworld her beautiful rival lay sleeping fitfully in her coffin bed and weeping just like she was or that her boyfriend was safe, except for his own broken heart and the bruise on his cheek and was sleeping at one of the tables in the Ball and Socket. If only she could've known these things; maybe they would've given her a shred of comfort. But she had no way of knowing any of this, so she just cried and cried and cried until, exhausted from crying and everything that had happened that day, she fell asleep right there on the floor.

Meanwhile Barkis had been hiding in the shadowy hallway, eavesdropping again, after the Everglots left their weeping daughter's room and walked away, he left his hiding place, feeling triumphant. _I'm in. That little bitch and her riches are mine!_ He began to walk through the gallery, cackling evilly until he came to Victoria's beautiful portrait. "Oh, my dear. Oh don't look at me that way." He sneered, creepily stroking her face. "You have only to suffer this union until death do us part... and _that_ will come sooner than you think." _ Yes, as soon as all this wedding bullshit is done and over with, I'll kill the brat and take her money, every last cent. But how shall I do it this time? Hmm, I know! I'll poison her; I haven't done that in a while, and that way, I can tell her parents she committed suicide out of heartbreak! Perfect! _And with that, he walked away.

Speaking of Victoria, Hilda later found her asleep on the floor took her out of her wet muddy clothes and tucked her into bed, just like she had when Victoria was a child.


	15. Mayhew's Death

The next morning.

"Oh, it's almost dawn! Where could he be?" Nell cried. She and Will had been searching for Victor all night, but had found nothing, not a _single_ trace of him. "This is fucking ridiculous! This isn't even a big village and yet we've checked every single place and nothing! If we don't find him soon, we'll never get into high society!" She sulked, crossing her arms.

"How about the forest? It's the only place we haven't looked yet and he was always getting lost in there as a kid." Will suggested.

"Oh, hell no! I'm _not_ going in there! That place is supposed to be _haunted,_ and besides it snowed! If he'd been out all night, he would've frozen to death by now!"

"Good point."

Before they could argue further, the town crier chimed in. "Victor Van Dort elopes with corpse! Heartbroken bride to wed wealthy newcomer!"

"Wealthy newcomer? It cannot be!" Nell said.

"Did he say _corpse?"_ Will asked.

"Oh bullshit! What _corpse_ would _marry_ our Victor?" Nell scoffed. Then Mayhew started coughing again. "Oh Mayhew, Silence that bloody coughing!" She snapped banging on the roof with her umbrella.

But the poor man didn't stop. Instead he just hacked even _harder_ and then, after years of smoking and being sick, the walls of his throat finally swelled shut. The poor man wheezed a few more times then pitched off the coach and was run over.

"Mayhew, are you trying to fucking _kill_ us?!" Nell yelled, but got no answer. "I think he's trying to fucking _kill_ us!"

Without a driver, the coach drove off and crashed in the woods. Sadly nether of them died, but they _did_ get lost and once they found their way out had to walk all the way back to the village. A well deserved punishment if you ask me!


	16. The Piano Duet

_Emily felt the rock smash into her forehead, blinding her with pain; she couldn't see the man's face as it was cloaked in shadow, but she knew it was Barkis. Before she even had time to scream, she saw the flash of a sword as it was stabbed into her right side and into her ribs, her blood soaking the ground. She must've fainted because when she woke hours later she was buried in a shallow grave. Frantic and struggling to breath, she clawed at the hard dirt screaming and sobbing, but she only managed to break her left hand out of the grave before her blue shadowed lids fluttered shut and the blackness swallowed her whole._

Gasping sharply, Emily shot up so fast she almost fell out of bed, her raven eyes flashing open. Her vision was blurry again, but she could tell by the soft mattress underneath her and the hard wood headboard against her back that it had all been a nightmare and she was safe in her bedroom, but the dream had been so vivid she could still taste the blood from her head wound in her mouth. She was trembling all over and her chest was heaving; with a groan, she flopped back down on the pillow. _God, I fucking hate when I have that dream! It always feels like I'm dying all over again!_ She thought groggily, closing her eyes again. _I fucking hate Barkis! He's the whole reason I'm stuck down here in the first place and if that wasn't bad enough, I'm now stuck with a husband who doesn't even want me! God, my afterlife fucking sucks!_ She wailed, her broken heart throbbing again. She still felt exhausted like she hadn't slept at all, even though it was clear she'd slept all night and it was now morning. Even though she had been exhausted when she went to bed (from the heartbreak and everything that had happened), she hadn't slept well at all. She tossed and turned and cried all night, all while locked in the nightmares of her past. Even though there was no sun or moon in the underworld, she could tell because of how quiet the club was; there were only two times when it was quiet: late at night and early in the morning and since it had been night when she went to bed, it had to be morning. With a drowsy yawn, she turned over, buried her face in the pillow, and tried to go back to sle _ep, but it was no use. As tired as she was, she couldn't go back to sleep, after trying for five minutes, she gave up and rolled onto her back with an aggravated groan. Christ, all I want to do right now is stay in bed and sleep forever. But apparently, I'm not even allowed that!_ Emily thought grumpily, opening her eyes again. Her vision was still blurry her eyes sleep and salt crusted; she had to rub her eyes so hard to clear them that the right one al _most fell out again. She also realized her whole face felt sticky and salty with dried tears, so she wiped it with her dress, then she got an idea about what to do. Playing the piano usually calms me down and makes me feel better when I'm upset. Why don't I go in the club and play for a bit? Then I'll come back out here and try to go back to sleep again._ She thought as she yawned widely; she stretched her long limbs, the bones and joints cracking loudly. As she got up from her bed, she saw that Maggot and Widow were nowhere in sight; she assumed that they must've left when she went to sleep and were still asleep themselves. _Lucky them. I hope they stay that way for a while because after them chewing my ear all last night, I could use some peace and quiet._ She thought as she left the alley and went into the club. The door was unlocked as always and the place was dark and deserted, so she went about turning on all the lights. _Why does BJ always leave the door unlocked? Anyone could come in and steal whatever they want._ Then she thought of something that actually made her smile. _Oh, I bet he leaves it open for me so I can come play whenever I want. How sweet of him._ But the smile quickly faded when she realized she was bound to run into Victor at some point and the thought made the anger and heartbreak boil up inside her again. _After last night, I never want to see him again._ She fumed as she walked to the piano, her white heels clanking on the stone floor. _He's a lying, cheating, selfish bastard and I hate him, don't I?!_ By the time she reached the piano, her anger had turned to sadness again. Lighting the lamp and sitting down on the bench, she began plinking the keys sadly playing the song from last night. Her pink lips forming a pout, her head drooping and her eyes half closed, wishing she could just cease to exist.

Victor walked the halls feeling sad and guilty; after he left the tower last night, he went back to the club. Oddly enough, the door had been unlocked, so he was able to slip inside and it was there he heard Emily singing to her bug friends. She had the most beautiful voice he had ever heard and the song she sang was just as lovely, but both were so sad and full of so much pain and suffering that he couldn't help but cry. When it was finished, he understood her better and felt worse about what he had done to her; her pain was like his own. It was clear the poor thing still had her soul which explained why she could still cry and feel; it made her feel like a broken outcast because no one else could, so she swallowed her pain all the time. He knew the pain of being broken and different all too well, Victoria had been the first one to see him for who he really was and accept him and that's what made him fall in love with her. But Emily had seen him that way too and also accepted him; he _loved_ her for it. The thought surprised him but he knew it was true; he _loved_ Emily deeply, but not in the way he loved Victoria. But as a friend, no not just any friend... she was his _best_ friend! But now all of that had been ruined by two stupid, selfish mistakes and he had the bruise to prove it. Just then, he saw Scraps standing at the top of the steps holding Emily's bouquet in his teeth and wagging his boney tail. Victor walked up to the skeleton dog and he set the flowers down in front of him with a look that was easy to read. _It's not too late._ He seemed to be saying. _Take this and go talk to her, go save your marriage._ With a sigh, Victor reached down, picked the bouquet, and walked up the steps. He walked down the winding staircase and into the bar where he found her sitting at the piano playing a few notes with her back to him. _Wow, so she can dance, sing, AND play piano? My, she's talented._ He was a bit worried about her reaction, as his cheek was still tender from her slap, but his love for her was stronger than his fear, so he carefully approached her. She didn't turn at his foot falls, but as he came to stand near her, she raised her head slightly and he caught a glimpse of appearance and it surprised him, she looked terrible. She looked tired, haggard, and almost sickly; her beautiful hair was a huge, clumpy, tangled mess and her mascara had run into the hollows of her eyes and dried into shadow-like stains. Yet in spite of this, she still managed to look beautiful. She was playing with her left hand while her right was at her side; her full lips were pouty and her black eyes were downcast. In short, she was the picture of misery. "I... think you dropped this." He said shyly, holding out her bouquet.

The already tense muscles of Emily's back tensed up even more at the sound of his voice. _What the hell does he want? To hurt me some more? I don't think that's even possible, I'm already in pieces. I can't deal with him right now, I feel like shit. Maybe if I just ignore him, he'll go away._

When she didn't take the flowers, Victor gently set them down on the pink cushion lining the top of the piano and turned away. He had been expecting rage or tears, but not her ignoring him. He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lied to you about wanting to see my parents." He said gently turning to face her again.

_Oh, you're sorry about lying to me, are you? Well, what about saying our marriage was a mistake and you would never marry me? You broke my fucking heart and put me though hell and all you have to say is you're sorry?! Well fuck that! If you really think an apology and bringing back my bouquet is enough to make me forgive you and let you back into my heart, then you're fucking stupid!_ Emily wanted to jump up and slap him again, with her left hand this time, but two things kept her from acting on that impulse: one in this tired shaky state she was certain if she got up that fast she'd fall over and embarrass herself again and two if she did she'd be giving him what he wanted, she knew he wanted to get a reaction out of her. He wanted her to look at him and talk to him, _well she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction, he didn't deserve it,_ so she just stayed quite and kept ignoring him.

"It's just that this whole day hasn't gone quite, well... according to plan." Victor sighed, sitting down next to her.

_Wow, you're as persistent as Maggot and Widow. Most others would've given up by now, and you apparently think it's still the same day, probably because there's no sun._

_Well..._ Victor thought. _If she won't talk to me though words, then I'll talk to her through music._ Looking at her he played a few upbeat notes one handed that said, _'Emily, please talk to me.'_

Emily shot him an annoyed glare. _Hey, get your fucking hand off my piano._ She noticed her slap from last night had left small purple bruise on his cheek which stood out against his pale skin. _Damn, I'm stronger than I thought!_ He withered under her glare, but then she played a few sad notes of her own answering him. _Fuck off, I don't want to talk to you or have anything to do with you anymore!_

Feeling encouraged, he began using both hands. _Look I know you're still mad at me, but please hear me out. I know what you've been going though, I heard you singing last night._

Shooting him another glare, Emily played both handed to. _Damn right I'm mad. You broke my fucking heart, and now you're lying to me again. Just because you heard me singing doesn't mean you understand my pain, no one understands my pain, not even my best friends!_ Suddenly a strong wave of depression hit her and she crumpled, her hands stilling their playing. Turning away from him, she rested her cheek in her right hand and laid her left on the keys.

Smiling at her, Victor began to play quickly. _ I'm not lying, I know how it feels to be broken and different and to have to hide all the time because no one understands you, that's how I am all the time._

The words began to thaw Emily's icy heart and she gave another soundless sigh. _He does understand my pain, that means he must be the one. My true love who will finally set me free. Wait a minute, what if this is just another trick? Sway me with sweet words and get me to let my guard down, then crush me again. No fucking way am I letting that happen!_ Hardening her heart, her expression changed to one of anger and annoyance and she glared at him out of the corner of her eye.

Seeing that she wasn't swayed, Victor knew that he had to take drastic measures and confess his feelings, so he played even faster. _Please forgive me Emily, you're my best friend and I love you._

Emily rolled her eyes and scowled at his words. _You love me? Bullshit. You don't treat someone you love like you treated me, especially your wife. And besides, the last human man who told me he loved me fucking murdered me! Best friend? No, I have best friends and their actually NICE to me!_ But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that Victor _had_ been nice to her before all the bullshit had taken place. He had treated her with kindness and respect like her other friends, but he never stroked her ego. He treated her like a person, not a princess; he wasn't trying to spoil her and most importantly, he actually listened to her and understood her pain. No one had ever done that before, and right now even though she kept trying to push him away, he never left and was nice to her the whole time. He had been kind, patient, compassionate, understanding, selfless and honest. _ He DOES love me. What other word is there for it? This is the true love I've been searching for all this time, a pure selfless love! God damn it, how can I stay mad at him knowing that?! _As the last of the ice in her heart melted, she sat up and still tried to glare at him, but he began to play again. _Please forgive me, Emily. I promise to never lie to you again. Just give me another chance._ Giving up trying to stay mad at him, she joined him, throwing him a smirk. _Okay, I forgive you. But you're still not off the hook._ He gave her a shy sweet smile and that was it; her beautiful features softened into a heart melting dimpled smile, and that moment she realized she loved him too. She thought she loved him before, but no. What she felt the night before was the same as she'd felt for Barkis; lust, infatuation, desperation, and most of all, she had been in love with the idea of him as the perfect husband, not him as a person. But now she knew it was real. After all this time, she finally knew what it felt like to really be in love; she had found her true love. Just then, her hand snapped off and began dancing around the piano; she gasped in surprise. _Fuck, now the moment is ruined!_ She thought. The hand danced up Victor's arm and he smiled and laughed gently which made her feel better and laugh, too. "Pardon my enthusiasm." Emily giggled, smiling shyly. She still felt a bit embarrassed that the tender moment had been ruined.

"I _like_ your enthusiasm." Victor said kindly, smiling back. Tenderly lifting her arm, he snapped the boney hand back on and gently clasped it in his own, which made her heart swell with love for him. The two of them exchanged sweet loving looks and suddenly began to feel something else as well... lust.

Victor stared longingly at her: _God, she's fucking radiant! Every bit as beautiful as Victoria._ He thought. He remembered the soft cool touch of her lips and the taste of dirt and death her chilly tongue had left in his mouth. Odd as it sounds, even though he knew he _wasn't in love_ with her, he did desire her and wanted to kiss her again.

Emily's feelings were a mix of love and desire and she also wanted to kiss him again.

But before ether of them could act on their shared desire, a loud bell rang out, making them whirl around in surprise and rudely shattering the beautiful moment.


	17. Victor's heartbreak

"New arrival! New arrival!" Plum yelled, coming in.

"Lights up! Hurry up, boys!" BJ added, also coming in as well as the other skeletons.

"Bonjour, drinks for everyone!" trilled Paul as he scuttled along the bar.

"Another pint, sir?" The man who lost his head asked.

"No, no. Just a half." The man who splits himself in half replied.

Paul whistled and his cockroaches got the man a drink, but accidently bumped into Paul and knocked him over. "Sacre bleu! It is impossible to get good help anymore!" He grumbled.

_God, this place is fucking strange. But it's not as scary as I once thought it was, probably because I've gotten used to it and I now have two best friends down here._ Victor thought.

"Welcoming committee, coming through! Coming through!" Plum called, pushing others out of the way to get to the new guy. "My name's Plum, Miss Plum." She said, patting the man's hand.

"Mayhew?" Victor asked; Emily threw him a confused look. Even though the man was facing away, Victor would know his first friend anywhere. Delighted, he got up and went to hug his dear friend. "Mayhew, how nice to see you!" But as he reached him, his friend turned around and Victor gasped; the poor man was dead. "I'm so sorry!" He said. He should've seen this coming, but he never suspected the illness was this bad.

"Oh, yeah. Actually though, I feel _great!"_ Mayhew said in his gravely voice, taking a deep breath.

"Hurry up, boys! Can you not see the gentleman is parched?" Paul said as he and the roaches got Mayhew a drink.

_Oh he must be one of his friends, how nice, it'll be good for him to have more friends down here, because right now all he's got is me and Scraps, I wish we hadn't been interrupted, he was going to kiss me I could tell. Oh well, we'll try again after he's done talking and then I'm going to try to get him to go to bed with me, we've been married for two days and we still haven't had our wedding night yet!_ Emily thought with a smile.

"Mayhew, I have to get back. They all must be worried sick! How is everyone?" Victor asked.

_Get back? No!_ Those words wiped the smile right off Emily's beautiful face. _How dare he even THINK of leaving me after what we just shared?! Did that mean nothing to him?! _But surprisingly, she felt no anger this time, only sadness. She bit her lip as tears filled her ebony eyes again.

"Well, they're still wondering where you slipped off to. Oh, and uh, Miss Victoria." Mayhew replied.

_Victoria? No, not her! Why the fuck does everyone keep saying that bitch's name? Victor is MINE, not hers! He's married to ME, not her! He said he loves ME, not her!_ Emily kept repeating those words in her head for comfort, but it didn't work. By now, the tears were already streaming down her cheeks again. She couldn't bear to hear anymore and blocked out the rest of the conversation, clenching her fists, her body shaking.

"Well, she's getting married this evening." Mayhew casually replied.

"What?! Married to who?!" That sentence nearly made Victor faint from shock; this had to be some kind of mistake.

"Some newcomer, Lord Somebody, or other." Mayhew answered, shrugging.

"But that's impossible!" He didn't want to believe it, but one look at his friend's face told him he _wasn't_ lying.

"Yeah. Well with you gone and all, I guess they didn't wanna waste the cake." His friend joked with a laugh.

Victor felt his heart smash into a thousand pieces. "But how could she...?" He lamented, hot tears pooling in his brown eyes.

A drunk skeleton came over. "Women, you can't live with them! You can't live with...!" But before he could finish, he fell over and shattered.

"Time to pick up the pieces and you know, and move on, I suppose." Mayhew said, blind to the fact that his friend was on the verge of tears.

"Hey! Speaking of picking up the pieces..." The skeleton joked, who's bones lay on the floor.

But the poor boy couldn't listen anymore; shaking his head, he walked away with tears running down his pale cheeks.

"Victor? Where are you going?" Emily whimpered, her lovely face streaked with tears, but he couldn't answer her and walked out into the hallway with his head hung low. As soon as he was alone, he broke down, sobbing so hard that his chest ached and he couldn't catch his breath. _Is this what it feels like to die of a broken heart? _He almost hoped so because now knowing that his beloved wasn't waiting for him anymore, he wasn't sure if he wanted to live anymore. _I should've know that a beautiful young woman like her would never want a broken freak like me._ Oddly enough, his mind suddenly wondered to Emily again and how he'd heard her singing last night, he now knew the heartbreak that she'd been feeling and decided to try singing himself. He would sometimes sing to himself when he had nightmares or when he was drawing, but never let anyone hear him because he was too shy, but it's not like anyone was listening now they were all busy with Mayhew. So what did he have to lose? So as he walked the halls again he began to sing in a voice that was equal parts warm, smooth, and broken by tears. "Yesterday I had some doubts, I thought my fate was set in stone, but then an angel came into my life and I didn't feel so alone... I’ll never shake away the pain, I close my eyes but she’s still there..." He stopped walking and leaned against a wall, closing his tear-filled eyes to try to block out the image of his beloved, but it was no use. "I let her steal into my melancholy heart, it’s more than I can bear!" Giving up he began to walk again as he sang, "Now I know she’ll never leave me, even as she breaks my heart, she will still torment me, calm me, hurt me, move me, like she did from the start!" "Wasting all my lonely life, waiting by an open door, I’ll fool myself she’ll walk right in and be with me for evermore!" _I should've known the magic of being in love wouldn't last. I'm not worthy of it, I never have been and I never will be and I was just fooling myself into thinking that I was!_ As he thought this he began to sing more passionately. "I rage against the trials of love, I curse the fading of the light, though she’s already flown so far beyond my reach, she’s never out of sight!" He remembered last night when he and Emily had literally flown beyond Victoria's reach, he could still see the shocked horrified look on her face as she reached out to him and memory made his tears flow faster and he sang in a voice that was raw with pain and chocked with tears. "Now I know she’ll never leave me, even though I'm far too late, what's the point in living? It's time to give up and accept my empty fate, or I'll waste all my lonely life, waiting by an open door! I’ll fool myself she’ll walk right in and as the long long nights begin, I’ll think of all that might have been, waiting here for evermore!" By now, he had reached a hallway lined with coffins, he slumped down in one near the door of the kitchen and wept even harder, his thin shoulders shaking with sobs. The last time he had cried this much was when Scraps died and he never thought anything could hurt as much as that had, but this was just as bad if not _worse._ Slumping over, he buried his wet face in his hands and fully gave in to the waves of grief and heartbreak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> credit to VioletRose13-Art for helping me write this and stormqueen93 for giving me the title and Alan Menken, and Howard Ashman and Tim Rice for writing the amazing song Evermore


	18. Victoria's heartbreak

"Miss Victoria, we must leave for the church now." Hilda said gently, adjusting Victoria's veil.

Victoria started into the tear-filled brown eyes of the beautiful young women in the mirror; she was dressed in a very simple but very lovely wedding gown in the style of her everyday wear, but this was made of pure white silk, the snowy jacket had slightly puffed shoulders and long straight sleeves and the front was lined with white pearl buttons and the high neck was trimmed with a froth of ivory lace. The long creamy skirt had no adornments, save for a ruffle of milky lace around the bottom, a little gold crown was fastened around her chestnut bun from which flowed a long glazy white veil, and her pretty little hands were covered with a pair of white fingerless gloves, similar to the ones Emily now wore, expect those were tattered and torn. For the finishing touch, she wore a bit of rosy lipstick and a light brushing of lavender eyeshadow. But as lovely as the young woman in the mirror was, she was also a complete stranger to Victoria; she wasn't a little girl who dreamed about love anymore, now she was a woman who found true love only to lose it and was now being forced into a fate worse than death. As she stared at her reflection, two hot shiny tears ran down her pale cheeks and dripped onto the vanity. "Yesterday I thought my wedding would be happy..." A little sob broke past her lips. "Now I feel like I'm caught in the tide, pulled out to sea." She whimpered, sniffling.

Hilda looked up at the girl she'd raised and who she loved as dearly as if she were her own flesh and blood. "The sea leads to many places, deary..." Reaching up, she tenderly lifted the poor girl's chin with one wrinkled hand and brushed the tears from her cheeks with the other. "Maybe you'll land somewhere better." She crooned soothingly. Then letting go, she left the room to get the carriage. Poor Victoria turned back to the mirror now sobbing quietly, more tears staining the dressing table.

Once they were in the coach, Victoria began to sob even harder, but unlike Maude, Hilda didn't scold or try to stop her. Instead she wrapped her arm around her and drew her little head to her shoulder. "It's alright, sweetie. Go ahead and cry. It's best to get it all out now before we get to the church."

As Victoria wept openly onto her maid's shoulder, she began to reflect not just on what had happened yesterday but also on her past and suddenly decided to do something she hadn't dared to do since she was little: sing. She had always wanted to take singing lessons, but Maude never allowed it as like playing piano, singing was also improper for ladies as it was also too passionate. As a child, she would sometimes sing to herself, but had fallen out of the habit as she got older, but now as she was feeling so miserable and her mother wasn't around to hear what did she have to lose. So as she cried she began to sing in a voice that was soft, beautiful, and raw with pain. "I dreamed a dream in time gone by, when hope was high and life worth living. I dreamed that love would never die, I dreamed that God would be forgiving." She remembered when her family had been rich and in high society, that seemed like forever ago now. "Then I was young and unafraid and dreams were made and used and wasted! There was no ransom to be paid, no song unsung, no wine untasted!" But then they had lost their money and had fallen out of society, she couldn't remember how or why they lost their money, only that they had. "But the vultures come at night, with their voices soft as thunder, as they tear your hope apart, as they turn your dream to shame!" Then her mind wandered to Victor and the memories made her tears pour out faster. "I met him only yesterday, but I feel I've known him always! He took my heart in his stride, but now he's gone and I'm alone!" She sobbed bitterly for a few seconds, but then sat up and kept singing. "And still I dream he'll come to me! That we will live this life together..." But then her face crumpled and her voice became chocked with tears as realty came crashing down on her again. "But there are dreams that cannot be and there are storms we cannot weather..." She collapsed against Hilda's shoulder again, as her sobbing turned into heaving, her tiny shoulders shaking under her jacket, but somehow she still managed to gasp out the rest of the song. "I had a dream my life would be, so different from this hell I’m living! So different now from what it seemed! Now life has killed the dream I dreamed..." Then Victoria buried her wet face in her friends shoulder and cried the last of her tears. By the time they reached the church, Victoria had cried herself dry and now felt hollow and numb, for as much crying as she did she really didn't look that bad. Her skin and makeup were fine, it was just that her eyes and nose were a bit red, she dried her face with her hanky and blew her nose, then the two of them entered the church. The wedding itself was a very somber affair. The poor thing sleepwalked her way though the whole thing reciting the vows in a broken monotone voice, now in a catatonic state.

Barkis on the other hand was smug and proud the whole time, and why wouldn't he be, he was getting exactly what he wanted. "With this candle, I will light your way in darkness." He recited, putting down the candle. A cough made him turn around and Finis gestured at him to hurry the fuck up. Barkis smirked at him. _Oh trust me. I want to get this done and out of the way too, so I can kill the little twat and take all her fucking money. Oh that'll be fun!_ He thought, turning around. "With this ring, I ask you to be mine." He finished, slipping the gold ring on Victoria's stiff little hand then letting it fall to smack limply against her side.

Poor Victoria closed her eyes, hung her head and pouted, her chest ached and it hurt to breath. _Oh Victor, I wish I'd fallen to my death climbing down the balcony or caught pneumonia from walking in the rain, for life without you will be nothing. _She wanted to cry again, but she had no tears left to cry.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife." Pastor said.

"Oh, oh, dear." Hilda wept, blowing her nose loudly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and William Nicholson Alain Boublil, Claude- Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer and Cameron Mackintosh for writing the stunning song I dreamed a dream


	19. The Greatest Sacrifice

Back in the underworld Victor was still sitting in the coffin and crying over the loss of Victoria. Looking at the sprig of winter jasmine made fresh tears spring to his eyes and hanging his head, he pressed his hand to his forehead, and sighed heavily. "I'm too late." He sobbed, lifting his head; the tears soaked his cheeks again. He dropped the flower and as it hit the floor, two tiny white petals broke off. _This flower was a symbol of our love, but now like our love, the flower is dead and broken like my heart._ Just as he was on the verge of tears again, Emily's voice, distressed and whiny, came issuing though the door. Suddenly worried about her and eager for a distraction from his broken heart, Victor dried his tears on his sleeve, stood up, and went to the door, opening it a tiny crack to listen in.

"Victor? Where are you going?" Emily whimpered, her bottom lip quaking, but she received no answer as her husband walked right past her and out into the hallway without saying a word. Utterly dejected, Emily slumped over the piano and buried her face in her arms, sobbing as if her heart would break again. She cried for a few minutes until she felt a gentle hand on her back. Hoping Victor had come back, she lifted her head and turned around, but it was Miss Plum.

"Come with me, sweetheart." Emily nodded, stood up, and followed her into the kitchen. Closing the door, Miss Plum sat the girl down at the table and looked into her tear-filled eyes, "Now what's the matter, deary?" She asked kindly. "He-he..." Emily tried to explain, but the words stuck in her throat and she broke down in convulsing sobs, having another breakdown. Plum let her cry, stroking her pretty hair until she seemed to run out of tears, then handed her a wet cloth, which Emily used to dry her tears. "No, no. Use it under your eyes, dear. Your mascara is running." "What?" Embarrassed, she jumped up and ran to look at her reflection in one of the pans hanging above the table. _Christ, this must've happened in the tower last night! I can't believe no one pointed it out and just let me walk around looking like this for so long!_ She furiously scrubbed the stains from under her eyes then tossed the cloth back to Plum, who then went to stand by the fireplace. "Now would you mind telling me what the hell that boy did to put you in such a state?"

"He wants to fucking leave me again!" Emily howled, stomping her right foot hard, the sound echoing loudly against the stone floor. "Just to get back to Little Miss Living again, even after all we just shared!" But her anger faded just as quickly as it had come and was replaced with distress. "Oh Mrs. Plum, what am I to do? He just walked off without saying a word. Are _all_ men like this?" She whined, turning to face her and clasping her hands.

"Well, I'm afraid _none_ of them are very bright. They get something stuck in their fucking heads and you can't do a damn thing with them!" Plum remarked, pulling a knife from another cook's head and cleaning it with the cloth as she walked away.

_Gee, thanks for nothing._ Emily thought, throwing her arms in the air and folding them over her chest in frustration. _ Why is everyone being so odd today? Do they know something that I don't? No, that's silly. I know everything that goes on down here. Something is up with Victor, everything was great when we were playing piano and holding hands and before the bell rang, he looked like he wanted to kiss me. But now it's like something has changed, suddenly he wants to leave me and go back to his girlfriend. Why does he keeping wanting to leave me? I'm his fucking wife! Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only sane person down here. _Her full lips set into a sulkily pout and she gave an aggravated sigh, but before she could fall into a sulk, the other door swung open, making her turn around.

"My dear, we have to talk." Elder said, walking in and setting the book from last night on the table.

"Let _me_ tell her! Please, let _me_ tell her!" Maggot begged, poking out from the pages of the book; he fixed Emily with a creepy, knowing look and chuckled darkly.

"What?" She demanded curtly. Her arms were still crossed, annoyed at her sulking being interrupted as well as unnerved by the look Maggot was giving her. _Come to think of it, where has he been all day? And why had he been with the Elder of all people?_

"There is a complication with your marriage." Elder said gravely.

The concerned, sorrowful tone of his voice made her sour mood fade. "I don't understand." She said, dropping her arms and feeling confused.

"The vows are binding _only_ until death do you part."

Now Emily was getting worried again. "What are you saying?" She asked, furrowing her long black brows.

"Death has _already_ parted you."

The words hit her like a slap to the face and she gasped in shock and horror. "If he finds out, he'll leave!" She whispered, biting her finger lightly. She couldn't allow that, not now that she knew he was her true love and was the only one who truly understood her pain, _and_ that he did actually want to leave. "There must be something you can do!" She begged, stepping forward and clasping her hands.

"Well, there is _ one_ way." Elder said reluctantly.

"Oh, please, please! Let _me_ tell her!" Maggot piped up, sounding even more excited.

_Okay, why is he acting this way? It's making me uncomfortable._ Emily wondered, she'd always known he was fucked up, but she didn't know he was _THIS_ fucked up.

"It requires the greatest sacrifice." Elder said gently.

"Go on, get to the _good_ part!" Maggot drawled, practically orgasmic by this point.

Emily couldn't take the stress anymore. "What is it?!" She demanded, the fear tightening her chest.

"We have to fucking _ kill_ him!" Maggot cried, grinning maniacally.

"WHAT?!" Emily shrieked, her hand leaping to her mouth. Her head spinning, she wondered if she was going to faint. She backed away from the table, shaking all over and feeling like she was trapped in a nightmare.

"Victor would have to give up the life he had forever. He would need to repeat his vows in the land of the living and drink from the Wine of Ages." Elder continued, turning the pages of the book as Maggot looked on, apparently getting off on the poor girl's heartbreak.

"Poison!" Emily gasped, turning towards the fireplace. She blinked hard to keep from crying, but it was no good as she felt bitter tears swelling in her sable eyes. Her knees were shaking so hard she wasn't sure how much longer she could stand up, she felt like she was dying all over again.

"This would stop his heart forever, _only_ then would he be free to give it to _ you."_ Elder finished, coming over to stand next to her.

Emily didn't even need to think about her answer; she couldn't do it. Yes, it meant she could never make love to him, but she couldn't take away the thing she loved most about him: his life. She didn't know how much she loved him being alive until their souls connected through music and he had been able to reattach her hand and hold it in his without a single hint of fear or revulsion. She couldn't take away all the things that made not just that moment but all their time together so wonderful: his smooth fair skin, his soft sweet blush, his comforting warmth, his heavenly scent, his heartbeat that sounded sweeter and more soothing than any lullaby she ever heard. She couldn't take all of that away and doom him to the same hellish existence she had been forced into. Such selflessness wasn't like her. Usually she never gave a thought to anyone's needs except her own, but she supposed this was what true love was: putting others needs before your own. Even though the thought tore her heart to shreds, she was ready to say goodbye. "I could never _ask _him!" She sobbed. And at that moment, her legs gave out. She landed hard on her knees, her sapphire hair fell over her face as the tears gushed down her quivering cheeks like a waterfall. But no sobs broke past her lips this time, she was too numb and her throat was closed like she was being strangled. Elder reached out to her, but she paid him no heed; she just sat there weeping silently, wishing _not _for the first time that she had no heart so she didn't have to _feel _this agonizing pain.

Victor gasped and backed away from the door watching his best friend crumble on the floor in tears. He couldn't believe what he had just heard, but what stuck out the most was her selflessness. She was willing to give him up rather than take his life, even though he told her that he loved her, that made him incredibly proud of her. As crazy as it sounds, dying to be with her actually didn't sound so bad. Victoria was gone, married to another man, but Emily was still there and she was Victoria's equal in nearly every way. No, he _wasn't_ in love with her, but he loved her as a friend; he understood her, respected her, pitied her, desired her, and maybe after a while he could fall in love with her. He remembered the feeling of her cool boney hand in his, it wasn't the same as holding Victoria's hand: there was no current of electricity, but there was something just as strong and just as pleasant: a sweet comforting warmth, like warming his hands in front of the fire. In spite of her many flaws, there was much to love about Emily: her sweet, husky giggle, her beautiful dimpled smile, her angel like voice, her kind loving heart, her lovely blue hair, her round black eyes so full of feeling, her sweet scent of dried flowers, and her lovely slim figure. Even the things that should've been turnoffs appealed to him: the coldness of her lips, tongue and skin, the fact that parts of her was all bone, and that her limbs and eye tended to fall out, even the way her tongue tasted: like dirt and death. Hell, even the thought of making love to her wasn't as scary as it might've once been. Their time together hadn't been meaningless; it had made him feel brave, bold, and confident, which now that he thought about it was how he had begun to feel after being with her for a few hours last night. Without knowing it, she had changed him for the better. If she could be selfless for him, then he could do the same for her and try to give her the happiness she deserved. His choice made he got up and walked into the kitchen.

"You don't have to." Emily gasped and her head shot up, her pretty face soaked in tears. Victor was standing in front of her and she noticed that his eyes were red, meaning he must've been crying to. She pulled her now tear wet hair out of her face so she could see better. "I'll do it." He said solemnly. Those words made her eyes refill with tears of joy and wiped away all thoughts of selflessness. Her joy was too strong to fight him on it, this felt like a dream; finally all of her pain and suffering was being rewarded and he would be hers forever now.

"My boy, if you choose this path, you may never return to the world above. Do you understand?" Elder warned.

Smiling warmly, Victor reached down and helped his bride to her feet, then gently clasped her cool hand in both of his warm ones. "I do." He muttered, moving closer and gazing into her beautiful, beaming face.

Overwhelmed with love and gratitude, Emily flung her arms around his neck and kissed him hard, tears flowing freely down her cheeks and the repressed sobs shaking her body. Seeing this, Elder picked the book with Maggot still in it and left to give them some privacy.

Victor kissed her back, holding her as tight as he could. Her mouth tasted salty from her tears, but he didn't mind. And when he felt her tongue invade his mouth again, he didn't faint this time but responded eagerly, tangling his hands in her wavy hair which felt very soft around his fingers. Yes, he was certain that in time, he _could _fall in love with her. The kiss went on for what felt like ages until he had to break it because his lips ached and he ran out of breath. _Damn she's a good kisser! I wonder if Victoria's this good._ He thought, gingerly touching his swollen lips. Emily beamed at him and reaching out; he dried the tears from her cheeks. His lust for her was sated but he was certain it would return later.

"Victor, I love you!" There was no room for doubt in her tone.

"I love you, too." He was surprised at how easily the words fell from his lips, but he didn't regret them for he knew they were true.

Once his breath had returned he took her hand in his again the same pleasant warmth spending though his veins. "Come on, we have to go tell everyone!"

Emily nodded and laced her fingers with his in the same way Victoria had the night before and with that, the two of them left the club and headed to the town square.


	20. The Wedding Song

"Gather round! Gather round, everybody!" Victor called from his place atop the statue.

The others did as they were told and gathered around the statue.

Emily was perched on the horse looking like a princess with her wintery skirt draped elegantly beneath her and her legs crossed, the long blue one swinging like a pendulum as she looked down at everyone, her hands clasped on her thigh. Her expression was hard to read because her brain was still trying to process what had just happened and what was happening now, she could still taste Victor's lips on hers and feel his tongue in her mouth: both had been warm and soft and tasted sweet. _He's a pretty good kisser for someone who's never done it before._ She thought. She had been perfectly happy before, but now while I wouldn't say she was feeling unhappy, she was feeling tentative and that confused her. _Why am I feeling this way? This is what I've dreamed about my whole life AND afterlife I should be over the moon right now, and I am. But there's also something else, something I haven't felt in a long time. Why do I feel like I'm doing something wrong? Like this is all too good to be true or like this is all just a beautiful dream and I'm going to wake up any minute? It doesn't make any sense for me to feel this way. It's not like me at all, it's more like Victor and he doesn't seem worried at all. In fact he seems eager and excited, which is funny because he's the one who has to fucking kill himself. Oh that must be it! I'm feeling guilty that he has to die, but it wasn't my choice. It was his. It's not like I'm forcing him to do this; he wants do it because he loves me, so I'm just being silly feeling this way. I bet the cause of all this is just nervous butterflies. What a funny expression... but that's what I'm feeling. Like the fluttering of butterfly wings in my chest. I wonder if that's what my heartbeat used to feel like. It's been so long, I've forgotten. Enough morbid thoughts. Now is the time to be happy because once we're married, the two of us can finally leave limbo and cross over!_ Now feeling better she broke from her thoughts and focused on Victor.

"We've decided to do this thing properly! So grab what you can and follow us! We're moving this wedding party upstairs!" Victor said, gesturing with his hands.

"Upstairs? I didn't know we had an upstairs!" remarked the lady who was dressed in blue and had curly orange hair while the lady who was dressed in red and orange and had curly magenta hair squealed and clapped her hands.

"Sounds creepy!"

"Let's go!" The skeleton kids said and then they ran off with Scraps following behind them barking loudly.

Victor held Emily's arm as she got off the statue, then she went off with the soldier as everyone began to sing.

"A wedding, a wedding! We're going to have a wedding!"

Smiling, Victor jumped down and started to follow the others.

"Hold on, Victor." Came a sweet gentle voice that stopped him in his tracks.

He gasped and turned to see Widow lowering down next to him. _Oh thank god it's just her. I always thought spiders were scary, but she's actually quite nice... unless you piss her off that is, a little like Emily. _He thought.

"You can't get married looking like that!" She said, not unkindly. She whistled and several other spiders descended on Victor and began to sing and sew. "The spiders think you're very cute, but goodness knows you need a suit! But have no fears, we're quite adept we'll have you looking lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely yet!"

Victor giggled as the spiders crawled on him. _What do you know? I think I might actually be over my fear spiders already._ He thought happily as the spiders continued to tailor and sing in high sweet voices.

"A little stitch, a little tuck, some tender loving care, a little thread will fix you up and we've got plenty as you see!" "And personally guarantee our quality repairs, a little here, I'll fix the mess, we're going to do our very best, when everybody sees you they will all be quite impressed, they will all be quite impressed!" When they were finished, Victor was wearing a handsome new suit jacket made of black silk, a taupe waistcoat, a blue-gray silk cravat, and fine gray and black pinstriped trousers.

"Wow! Thank you very much, ladies!" Victor exclaimed gratefully, beaming at the spiders.

"It's our pleasure!" They all said. "It's the least I can do since you're about to give my girl what she always wanted and to give her the happiness she deserves." Widow added.

"Well, I'll try my best." He answered, smiling.

While he was talking two male corpses began to sing. "A wedding, we're going to have...!"

Meanwhile back at the Ball and Socket.

"A wedding cake is no mistake! It must be quite sublime!" Sang Plum to the other two cooks as she stirred a large cauldron.

"We're missing something!" Sang the other lady cook.

"Try some dust!" Added the cook with the cutlery in his back, pouring dust in the cauldron.

"I wish I had more time!" Plum remarked.

"Perhaps there's something I can do, these bones might help a bit!" Suggested the lady, but as she reached down and grabbed them she accidentally bonked the poor guy in the head with a bone and his nose fell into the cauldron.

"Oh, my nose!"

"Sorry!"

"Wait a minute! That's it!" Plum exclaimed tasting it, and then all three of them sang together.

"A little of that!"

"A little of this!"

"The perfect cake is hard to miss!"

"A wedding, a wedding! We're going to have a wedding!"

Meanwhile back in the town square, everyone was marching around singing, and unintentionally stroking Emily's ego even more (which is the last thing she needed). "Huzzah, huzzah!"

"We're going to have a wedding, a wedding! Let's all give out a cheer 'cause the bride is getting married toda

"One thing you can surely say, is we will stand beside, until the end we will defend our one and only bride!

"Our bride-to-be, our bride-to-be! Our lovely Corpse Bride!"

"Huzzah! Hooray! Huzzah! Hooray!"

"Our bride is getting married today"

"Oh, there she is!" A skeleton squealed.

"Here she comes!" Bonaparte added.

Everyone gasped and turned towards the stairs as the ladies walked over.

Clutching her bouquet in front of her Emily waltzed down the steps, beaming sweetly, she looked like an angel: her beautiful indigo hair was combed, brushed, separated in the back, and twisted like braids with a few loose strands hanging around her breathtaking face and her makeup had been freshly applied. Her beauty was enough to render Victor breathless. She was finally feeling perfectly happy again, the fluttering in her chest had stopped and she hoped it wouldn't return. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, but it had been making her wonder and she didn't want to wonder tonight; she wanted to savor the fact that her dream was finally coming true. _ I'd pinch my arm to see if this is a dream, but that would be pointless because I wouldn't feel anything. Besides I already know this isn't a dream, it's real! I'm actually getting married!_ She thought happily. As she reached the ground. she heard the other corpses singing about her and her smile widened.

"Oh, oh, the bride is here!"

"She's waited for this day for many a year!"

_Five years to be exact, five fucking years of hell! No, stop thinking about that. It's over now, and I'm ruining the mood._ She shoved aside those morbid thoughts and focused on the singing.

"For this day, for this day our hopes and our pride!"

"The bride is here, here comes the bride!"

Widow gestured to the other spiders and they gently lowered the veil onto Emily's head.

The second the flower crown touched her hair, that wonderful alive feeling from the night before returned and holding out her arms, she gracefully twirled around in circles, her hair and veil swirling around her and the singing ringing in her ears.

"For this day, for this day will last forever!"

Amidst the singing she heard Maggot bawling and it made her want to laugh and cry at the same time. _He's so sweet, I'm glad he finally came around to the idea of me getting married to Victor instead of hating him and being super overprotective. I know he loves me, but he's just going to have to learn to let me go._ She stopped spinning and the ladies circled around her singing and she didn't realize that the left side of the front of her hair had become slightly disheveled from her dancing.

"And all of her friends will work together, to make it the perfect day she's always dreamed, our hopes and our pride our bride, our lovely bride!"

Emily was incredibly touched by these segments, _ Wow they're all so sweet! What great friends I have! _And then for the first time in five years she finally realized just how _lucky_ she was and felt bittersweet tears well up in her eyes again as her heart swelled with love. _How could I have not seen it sooner? All this time, I've been so focused on how fucked up my situation is and how much pain I've been in that I never realized how lucky I am. I've been blessed with such wonderful friends who love me so much they'd do anything for me, even though they don't remember my damn name. I wish I had realized it sooner and appreciated them more. Maybe I won't cross over after all. Maybe after we're married, Victor and I will just stay here in limbo forever. It would be a hell of a lot easier and that way, I wouldn't have to leave anyone. _She felt the wetness on her cheeks and realized she started to cry again. _I'd better not cry too much or I'll fuck up my mascara again. Better save those tears for the wedding._ But then she was broken out of her thoughts by the ladies pulling her away. _Oh I guess we're leaving now, okay!_ She thought, looking bemused.

The men also dragged Victor off and then everyone finished getting ready.

"We're going to have a party like nobody's ever seen!"

"The living in the land above will not know where they've been!"

"The land above, the party of the bride!"

"Here comes the bride on this glorious day of days!"

"Up to the land of the living!"

"To celebrate!"

And with that everyone set off for The Land of The Living.


	21. Victoria Stops Taking People's Shit

Meanwhile back upstairs, the gloomiest and most boring wedding reception in history was taking place. The party and people were deader than the actual dead; hell, one man was even sleeping while the others just sat around staring at nothing or picking at tiny roast chickens, which were almost the size of pigeons or even canaries.

"Oh, dear." Poor Hilda sobbed, coming though the door carrying the tinniest wedding cake in the world. She hobbled around the long table and set it in front of a smug Barkis and a still catatonic Victoria.

The poor dear hadn't touched her food for she had no appetite nor had she drank the tiny bit of wine in her glass, which was actually a very good thing for Barkis had gotten impatient and decided to poison her early. The ache in her chest had spread to her throat and formed a hard knot. _Maybe I did catch pneumonia after all. With any luck, my heart will stop and I'll just drop dead. I hope so because I'd much prefer death to being married to this fucking monster!_ She thought sulkily.

"Quiet down now, everyone!" Barkis called, waking the sleeping man up. "Thank you!" "Elegant, cultured, radiant! Victoria has found a husband, with all these qualities and more!" _The little bitch hasn't touched her wine yet. No matter. Once I'm done with this speech, I'll make a toast and then she'll have to drink it and if that doesn't work I'll shove it down her fucking throat. By the way, those stupid servants really need to hide the rat poison in a better place because it was much too easy for me to get a hold of it._

_What a fucking joke. He's none of those things. He's coarse, rough, and ugly! Hell, I think I would rather be married to the beautiful corpse who broke into my room last night and stole my boyfriend than to him! Oh well, at least Victor's better off than I am..._ Victoria mused.

"Serendipity brought us together, and no force on earth could tear us apart!" Barkis finished. And no sooner had he said that than the fireplace behind them erupted into green flames, bathing the dreary room in an emerald green glow

The dead exited the fireplace and slowly approached the parents, but as BJ came up behind Finis, his eyeball fell out and landed in the soup.

"There's an eye in me soup." Finis remarked calmly, picking it up.

And then, all hell broke loose! Everyone screamed and jumped up, knocking over one of the tables and running away. Barkis backed away in terror, while Victoria stood still, gasping and looking shocked but still relatively calm.

One old lady backed right into Bonaparte and got poked with his sword. "Oh, sorry!" He said holding up his tiny hands.

Then Barkis shoved Victoria out of the way and hid under the table like the big pussy that he really is.

 _Wow. I can't believe I was afraid of him. He's nothing but a bloody coward! I'm a girl and I'm FAR braver and tougher than him!_ Victoria thought; she knew she should have been scared, but she wasn't probably because being married to Barkis was far scarier than seeing dead people. And besides, she had already seen a sentient corpse last night and while she had been scary she was also very beautiful and it wasn't like she had physically harmed her. She sat back down at the table and noticed that somehow the poisoned wine in her cup had been knocked over and the dark liquid was now staining the white tablecloth. She had no idea how much _danger _her life had been in.

Meanwhile, Maude was standing on a chair and cowering in fear as Scraps barked at her.

"Fetch me musket!" Finis ordered.

"Fetch your _own _damn musket! I'm off!" Emil retorted, putting on his hat and getting the fuck out of there.

"Coming through! Coming through!" Paul said, crawling out from under another lady's dress.

Meanwhile, Barkis was cowering under the table as the skeleton children laughed at him.

Then Maggot found the man who'd been sleeping and crawled up his arm. "Excuse me. You don't know me, but I used to live in your dead mother." He grinned, scaring the shit out of the poor guy.

"Hey, hold on there! I love a woman with meat on her bones!" BJ chuckled, going after a buxom lady.

Meanwhile the parents were cowering on the stairs. "Finis, who fucking invited these people? They must be from your side of the family!" Maude exclaimed, clasping her hands.

"Certainly not! Why, if my Grandfather Everglot could see this, he'd be turning in his grave!"

"Finis." Came a deep voice that made them turn around and lo and behold, there he was right in front of his picture. "Where do you keep the spirits?" He asked, holding a wineglass.

Then the pair screamed bloody murder and ran the fuck away, never to be seen again for the rest of the story, well at least not until the epilogue.

Then everyone ran out into the streets and the town crier made his last announcement of the story. "In other news, THE DEAD WALK THE EARTH!" One lady screamed and another guy was chased by skeletons.

Everyone was cowering in fear expect for Old Lady Gertrude. "Get back! Don't try and sneak up on me! Get back!" She yelled, swinging her walker around wildly. "I'll give you such a wallop!"

A cute little tow-headed boy was hiding behind his mother's skirts until Mayhew and another corpse in a tall hat approached, then something surprising happened. The lad stopped hiding and ignoring his mother's protest, bravely walked up to the man.

"Yeah." The man rasped and bending down he picked up the sweet boy and held him in front of him.

"Grandpa?" The little boy squealed and then the two of them warmly embraced.

Meanwhile Alfred and Gertrude were having a misunderstanding, Gertrude was hitting him on the head with her walker and cursing at him while he was trying to woo her. "Bounder!"

"Sweetie pie!"

"Monster!"

"Buttercup!"

"Cad!"

"Gertrude!"

That finally got her to stop and recognize him. "Alfred?" She asked adjusting her glasses. "You've been dead for 15 years."

"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!" He purred, swinging her into a dip.

"Ethel!" Exclaimed the man the skeletons had chased, hugging the third lady corpse.

Mayhew shook hands with his old friend, The Fish Cutter and Scraps sniffed another dog.

Meanwhile back inside Victoria was still sitting where we left her when her bastard of a husband finally climbed out from under the table. _ Damn, I was enjoying the silence. Now I've got to listen to him again._ She thought, narrowing her eyes.

"Right, that's it. We're going to take whatever money we can and get the fuck out of here!" he exclaimed, stalking over to her other side.

"Money? _What_ money?" Victoria asked, looking at him in confusion. What the fuck is he talking about?

"Your fucking dowry, it's my right!" Barkis growled, scowling down at her.

_Oh my god, he thinks WE'RE the rich ones! Oh boy is he getting fucked over!_ Victoria wanted to laugh at this realization, but she still felt too miserable to even try. " But, my parents don't have _any_ money. It's _my_ marriage to _you_ that will save _them_ from the poorhouse." She calmly explained.

"Th... The poorhouse!?" Livid, Barkis grabbed poor Victoria like a ragdoll, his iron grip leaving bruises on her dainty arms. "You're lying! It isn't true! Tell me that you're fucking lying!" He roared, shaking her so hard her head flopped back and forth on her neck.

And with that Victoria snapped. All of her pent-up anger, at him, at her parents, at this whole fucked up situation enflamed her tiny body. _I'm done. Done being nice, done being proper, done being a pushover, and most of all, done trying to be a perfect lady! All my life I've let people walk all over me and always did as I was told and for what? Nothing! Well no more! I've lost everything! My parents hate me and have apparently washed their hands of me, I'm shackled to a monster who's apparently as broke as I am, and on top of all that, my true love who's the one I really want to be married to is already married to a dead girl and by now is probably dead himself! What more do I have to lose? I'm done letting people push me around!_ "Did things not go according to your fucking plan, Lord Barkis?" She spat, not feeling scared at all in spite of her current position. Summoning all her strength, she roughly shoved him off her. "Well, perhaps in disappointment we are perfectly fucking matched!" She sneered cuttingly, her dark eyes bright with rage. She turned to leave, but then she remembered wanting to punch him the day before after he mocked Victor. She hadn't been able to do it then because her parents were still in the room and she would've gotten in big trouble if she had, but no one was there to see it now. Turning back around, she marched up to Barkis and socked him in the arm as hard as she could, then she turned on her heel again with her veil rippling as she did so and stormed out of the house like the brave little badass that she is!

Barkis gasped and stared after her livid and shell-shocked at what just happened. _I've been cheated! That's not fair! I'm the one who's supposed to do the cheating! They're just as broke as me which means this whole thing was just a fucking waste of time! But if I can't get the money, then I'm at least going to get the thrill of killing that little brat! After all, someone's got to pay for this betrayal and she just sealed her fate! The poison's gone so instead, I'll slice open her pretty white neck and watch her drown in her own blood! It's what she deserves for making a fool of me!_ He thought, growling with fury. Then he proceeded to take out his anger on the table, ripping the already torn tablecloth to pieces and flipping the whole table over.


	22. Breaking The Cycle

Victoria marched indignantly down the front steps clenching her tiny fists; she had no idea where she was going just that she had to get away from the house and him. Her hand ached from the punch, but that didn't take away from the fact that hitting him had felt really good and hoped she'd left a bruise. The sight that greeted her made her gasp in shock, the living and the dead were together and getting along. _When the hell did THIS happen? She wondered. But then she saw something that made her wonder even more; the dead were all headed towards the church and carrying a giant white cake decorated with skulls. Well that's very odd. Is one of them getting married? Wait a minute... If they're here, then that means Victor must be here to! I've got to see him again!_ And with that she began to follow them.

Meanwhile at the church, Pastor was trying to scare off the dead but failing. "Be gone, ye demons from hell! Back to the void from whence you came! You shall not enter here! Back, back!" He roared, waving his arms and brandishing his staff.

"Keep it down. We're in a church." One corpse calmly replied, and with a call of "Evening." all the dead and living walked straight into the church and right past a flabbergasted Pastor, knocking over his staff in the process.

As everyone took their seats the music started and everyone turned toward the door. As the kids threw flower petals onto the floor, Emily slowly entered, glowing in the moonlight and looking like an angel. She was looking down at first, but then she raised her eyes and smiled in a way that could be only described as bittersweet.

Her perfect happiness had disappeared again and the fluttering in her chest had returned stronger than ever; she could feel the wings beating against her ribcage. She kept trying to tell herself she was just being a silly goose for feeling this way on her wedding night, but it wasn't working, for there was a nagging feeling at the back of her mind that almost felt like dread. Normally she would've blamed this feeling on Maggot, but she couldn't now because he wasn't _even_ in her head. _What the fuck is wrong with me tonight? I should be wallowing in bliss, not worrying._ As she kept walking she held up her bouquet and focused on Victor who was staring at her in awe, a sight that made her troubled heart melt. When she reached the alter he extended his hand to her and walking up the steps she gently took it in her own, the comforting warmth of his hand against her cold skin soothed away the annoying butterflies and made her heart feel lighter. She would miss his warmth, but she was sure after a while she would get used to him being cold-skinned like her.

"Dearly beloved and departed, we are gathered here today to join this man and this corpse in marriage." Elder said warmly.

As he spoke, Emily glanced at Victor out of the corner of her eye and laced her fingers with his again, trying to get as much contact as possible. She was sure as soon as she let go of his hand, the butterflies would return and she didn't want that as the feeling troubled her. Without knowing it, she put her mask on again, even though she swore she never would. The interlocking fingers was something she read about once in a romance novel and since then, she believed it was something couples should do which is why she insisted on doing it with Barkis. He allowed it, but she now knew he had only been tolerating her to get her money. The memory of him sent a cold shudder through her slim body, which Victor must've felt because he tightened his grip on her hand, which managed to calm her down.

Meanwhile, Victoria had finally made it to the church and was now walking up the steps, but when she reached the door the sight that greeted her made her gasp again with her white-gloved hand leaping to her mouth; standing at the alter was her beloved Victor. He was facing away from her, but she could tell he was wearing a very fine new suit. And the tall figure next to him was also facing away, but she could tell from the beautiful gown, veil, and the bit of blue hair peeking out from the top of the veil that it was the beautiful corpse who had broken into her room last night, scared the shit out of her, and dragged Victor away with her. She wasn't sure why they were there since the girl had said she was his wife, but after escaping her monstrous new husband, this was the _last_ thing she wanted to see. With her sharp brown eyes, she was able to see that the couple were holding hands, their long fingers twinned together in the same way he had done with her the night before. In that instant, the sweet girl knew that Victor _wasn't_ there against his will for she didn't think he would do something so inmate with someone he didn't love. Even though she no longer felt any fear resentment or jealously towards this mystery girl, knowing that her true love loved another broke her heart. "Victor?" She whimpered, tears filling her brown eyes. A skeleton turned and shushed her. Poor Victoria wanted to run away sobbing and never come back, but she knew she couldn't because Barkis was bound to come looking for her. So choking back sobs, she quietly crept into the church and hid behind a pillar, the tears now rolling down her rosy cheeks.

"Living first." Elder said to Victor.

Victor turned and looked at Emily. _She looks like an angel._ He thought happily, letting go of her hand. Surprisingly enough, he didn't feel nervous at all this time, he lifted his hand. "With this hand, I will lift your sorrows." He picked up the gold goblet and held it out to Emily. "Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine."

Elder turned to Emily, "Now you."

Emily beamed at Victor as she set her bouquet down on the table; she had dreamed about this moment so many times and now it was finally happening. She could feel tears of joy welling under her lashes and was sure her mascara was going to run again, but she was so happy that she didn't give a fuck if it did. Her mask was off now and her perfect happiness had returned. "With this hand, I will lift your sorrows." She repeated, her happy voice echoing through the quiet church. She picked up the tall red bottle of poison. "Your cup will never empty." She poured the rich, ruby wine into the gold cup. "For I will be..." But then her eyes drifted over Victor's shoulder and what she saw made her gasp and set the bottle down on the table with a clang, her sunshiny smile fading. Victoria dressed in white was hiding behind a pillar behind Victor, her tears catching the light and for a few seconds their eyes locked brown on black. Suddenly, Emily felt like she had been doused in ice water as the weight of everything came crashing down on her. _ What the hell am I doing?! I'm doing exactly what I said I wouldn't, taking away the thing I love most about him, his life! And for what? For my own selfish, fucked up reasons! That's all my afterlife has been, making everyone fulfill my own selfish desires over and over again for FIVE FUCKING YEARS! No wonder I've been stuck in limbo for so long! I've been a prisoner of my own ego! Now I'm taking away from him the one thing I didn't have, a choice! AND I'm forcing him into a marriage that would make us BOTH miserable! He doesn't love me like I love him and I don't think he ever will; it's HER he loves, it's HER name he cried out as I dragged him away last night. He even told me that he only loved me as a friend and that's not enough for a good marriage! He loves me the way I love Maggot and Widow. Yes he kissed me, yes he told me he loves me, yes he said his vows to me and put the ring on my finger and was the only one who understood my pain, but I'm not going to hold him to any of it. He gave me what I needed, true love, a pure selfless love. Not the romantic kind, but that's not what I needed; this is and that's good enough. Now I know what the butterflies in my chest were, a warning. I remember now, the last time I had this feeling was on the night I died; but at the time I thought it was just my heart fluttering with excitement, if only I heeded the warning then maybe I'd still be alive. But I'm not going to make that same mistake again. If he could be selfless for me, then I can do the same for him AND for her. After all, he's the one who made me selfless. He was right all along, we ARE too different!_

She broke from her thoughts and realized everyone was waiting for her. "I will be..." She faltered, her voice now shaky and sad, she saw Victor mouth the word 'yes'.

  
"Go on, my dear." Elder said kindly.

"Your cup will never empty..." Emily felt her chin start to quiver, but she blinked and tried to hold back her tears. She tried again, sounding even more sad. "For I will be..."

Victor was confused by Emily faltering. _Was she nervous?_ That seemed very out of character for her as he'd never seen her nervous, But that was the only explanation that made sense so he decided to help her out. "I will be your wine." He finished for her and raised the cup to his lips, but Emily quickly slammed her boney hand over the cup and pushed it down, the bone clanking loudly against the metal, finally breaking the toxic cycle she'd been locked in for her whole life AND death. Victor turned and gave her a confused look.

Emily heard her friends whispering about her, but her heart hurt so much she didn't care. The pain she felt now was more surreal and intense then the heartbreak from before, this felt like when she'd been stabbed in the ribs. "I can't!" She whimpered, her voice raw with pain as she lost the battle with her tears. "What's wrong?" Victor asked gently and began to turn around, but she gently cupped his warm cheek in her hand and made him look at her. _" This _is wrong! I _WAS_ a bride, my dreams were _taken_ from me. Well now... now I've _ stolen _them from someone else." She sobbed, a huge jeweled tear seeped from under her lashes and rolled down her tattered cheek. "I love you, Victor..." She sniffled, taking one last look at his beautiful face through her tear glossed eyes (he looked ready to cry himself). "But you're _not mine."_ She wept, her voice breaking, then letting go, she sniffled back her tears and held out her hand with a sweet smile. A _ child_ no more, but now a _woman._

Victor turned to see what she was looking at and what he saw made his heart leap. Victoria had been there the whole time, hiding behind the pillar, looking beautiful in her wedding garb, her soft cheeks stained with tears. "Victoria!" He whispered, wanting to cry with happiness. His love came from behind the pillar and walked towards them as the people in the crowd gasped. Walking up the steps she took Emily's outstretched hand without a hint of fear, then Emily laid Victoria's little hand in Victor's. The three of them looked at each other, both feeling very proud of Emily; from the look on her face they could tell Emily was proud of herself too. But sadly like every beautiful moment between these two, it wasn't meant to last.


	23. Barkis Gets What He Deserves

"Oh, how touching!" Came a voice like oiled silk. The three of them turned to see Barkis walking into the church, he sniffled and pretended to wipe away a tear. "I always cry at weddings!" He jeered, dramatically clasping his hands.

Victoria stepped back and gasped in horror. _Shit I was just beginning to think he had given up!_ She panicked. Instinctively, she grabbed Victor's hand for comfort and he wove his fingers with hers again, a gesture that she hoped didn't hurt Emily's feelings.

"Our young lovers together at last!" Barkis continued, walking towards them, first holding out his long skinny arms then rubbing his hands together. Surely now they can live happily ever after!" He stopped right in front of them. "But you forget... she's still my fucking wife!" He roared, roughly grabbing Victoria's arm and yanking her to him, ripping her hand from Victor's. "And I'll not leave here empty-handed!"

The roar of his voice triggered something in Emily's mind, something long repressed. _No, it can't be!_ But as she studied his furious face she knew him at once and suddenly felt like she'd been struck by lightning, it was him, the man from her nightmare, the one who's face was always cloaked in shadow, her ex, Barkis the one who had stolen her money _AND_ her life! She didn't know how she could've forgotten such bulbous ugly features; when she was alive she'd fancied him handsome, but she now knew it was only because he stroked her ego just like everyone else had and that made him handsome in her eyes, but now she could see him for what he was, as ugly as he was evil. He hadn't changed much in five years expect that he was older now and his once dark hair had gone stark white. What struck her most was his eyes: those round beady eyes the same color as hers, the very ones she remembered spitting the blood from her head wound into after he disrespected her. "You!" She gasped, her inky pupils turning to pinpoints in shock.

Barkis froze at the sound of her voice. _I know that voice, but it can't be. She's been dead for five years!_ But as he stared at the lovely corpse he couldn't deny it, her hair, skin, and eyes had changed color, but he would know his ex's dazzling features anywhere. "Emily?" He gasped, looking just as shocked as her.

Victoria gasped softly and looked at Emily. _Bloody hell, these two know each other? But how? Oh my god, he must've killed her and stole her money! No doubt like he planned to do with me! That poor child. No wonder she wanted Victor so bad, and yet she's willing to let me have him! How wrong I was about her. She may be a corpse, but she has a kind, loving heart!_

"You!" Emily snarled, her shock and horror morphing into the same soul-consuming fury she felt the night before.

"But-but... I left you!"

"...For dead!" She hissed venomously, making everyone gasp.

"This woman is obviously fucking delusional!" Barkis yelled.

Emily scowled at him, her hands balling into tight fists.

The monster began to drag a frightened and struggling Victoria away, then he pulled the sword out of Bonaparte's chest and held it to her pretty little neck. "Sorry to cut things short, but we must be on our way."

"Take _your_ fucking hands _off her!"_ Victor growled, bravely stepping forward. He wasn't sure what had come over him, but he did know that the sight of his beloved in danger made his blood boil and he was willing to fight for her. If that wasn't reason enough, he knew that this bastard had taken the life of his best friend and that only fueled his rage and determination.

"Do I have to kill you to?" Barkis sneered, lowering the sword from Victoria's neck.

While all this had been going on, Emily had been standing in the background watching in silence. _Holy fuck, where did THAT come from?! Since when did he become such a badass? _But then she realized Victor was challenging Barkis to a duel and the butterflies of warning filled her chest again. _ What the fuck is he thinking?! He doesn't stand a chance in a fight! Barkis will fucking KILL him!_ She wanted to run forward and stop him, but it was like her little feet had frozen to the alter. A scream suddenly broke through her thoughts and she saw that Scraps had bravely bit Barkis's skinny leg, giving Victoria enough time to get away and run to her.

Victor saw Barkis kick Scraps off his leg and felt a hot flash of anger coarse though his chest. _Nobody hurts my dog! I am going to fuck him up!_ "Victor, catch!" Plum yelled throwing him a weapon. He caught it, but when he saw what it was his anger turned to panic. _A fork? Are you fucking kidding me? The bastard has a fucking sword! How the hell am I supposed to fight with a fork?!_

"Sorry."

Before he even had time to think, Barkis swung at him growling, the sword clanging loudly against the fork. He swung at him again, but Victor managed to dodge him which sent Barkis tumbling into the table, almost knocking over the goblet of poison. Getting up, the two of them kept fighting passing the two frightened girls, who stood huddled together on the alter.

Watching the fight, poor Victoria began to shiver and whimper with fright, certain she was going to lose her love _for good_ this time. Seeing this, Emily wrapped a comforting arm around her and pulled her close, not knowing what else to do.

Meanwhile back at the duel, Victor was somehow able to dodge every thrust of the sword so Barkis only managed to slash the pillar. Then hiding behind the pillar Victor reached around and jabbed the villain in the ass, making him squeal like a little girl and swipe at Paul and a another cook.

"Ah, Sacre bleu!"

More thrusting, clanging and dodging commenced. "I say, you're not playing fair, sir." remarked the Half Man, only for Barkis to spilt him in half with the sword.

Victor ducked another swing and Barkis got the sword stuck in one of the benches, then Victor actually managed to slice Barkis's coat with the fork, but then quickly realized what he'd done.

Growling, Barkis tried to disarm Victor, but the clever boy quickly hid under the bench, Barkis stabbed the wood twice, until the boy used the fork stab him in the foot. Barkis screamed and fell, causing the benches to topple like dominos. Emily put her boney arm around Victoria's little shoulders and pulled her back as the benches fell.

Then the villain knocked the fork from Victor's hand and kicked him to the ground, ready to stab him.

The girls gasped and without even stopping to think, Emily ran forward and threw herself in front of Victor, the blade piercing her ribs and making a wet squelching sound, causing everyone to gasp in horror. Glowering, Emily pulled the gold and sliver sword from the hole in her side and brandished it at Barkis, the flash of the shining blade mirroring the livid flash of her jetty eyes.

"Touché, my dear." He smirked, obviously thinking she was fucking with him.

"Get the fuck out!" Emily growled, her beautiful features twisted with rage and her low voice brimming with glacial fury.

Getting up, Victor drew Victoria against the wall and shielded her with his arm, a stark contrast to Barkis who had preferred to shove her out of the way and hide under the table like a baby.

But Barkis being the stupid misogynist that he is and not being able to accept the fact that he had gotten his ass kicked by girls twice in one night, wasn't scared of Emily or the fact that she was pointing a fucking sword in his face. _Oh you think you're tough, little girl? Well, I bet I can still make you cry._ "Oh I'm _leaving."_ He chuckled cruelly, walking away from her and up to the alter, the sword and her piercing eyes following him the whole time.

Feeling she had gotten her point across, Emily lowered the sword.

Barkis grabbed the cup of poison and held it up with a smirk. "But first a toast to Emily! Always the _bridesmaid,_ never the _bride!"_ He mocked callously.

His cold words struck a raw nerve in Emily; the sword fell from her hand and clattered to the floor, her angry expression starting to crack.

The monster saw her pretty face crumpling and knew he hit her hard. J _ust as sensitive as ever. Sensitive, weak and pathetic, just like all women. Although I must admit, she was my favorite victim; one more insult and she'll be a beautiful sobbing mess. Ah, it's always so much fun to watch women cry._ "Tell me my dear, can a _heart_ still _break_ once it's stopped _beating,_ hm?" He snickered, smugly smoothing back his white hair.

That did it: Emily's lip trembled and her onyx eyes flooded with tears, but she was determined not to let them fall or break down because she knew that was what he wanted and she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She even tried to put her mask back on, but it didn't work. His cruel laughter filled her ears and in that moment, she was a little girl again.

"Let me at him, let me at him! No, don't hold me back!" Maggot snarled, ready to fuck him up for hurting his best friend and the others were right behind him.

"Wait! We must abide by their rules, we are amongst the living." Elder said wisely holding everyone back.

"Well said." Barkis grinned, sneering down at his tearful ex.

Poor Emily felt her lashes getting damp and bit her lip so hard that if she had still been alive she'd be tasting blood. Unable to do anything, she could only watch though her bejeweled eyes as he drank the poisoned wine, tossed the goblet away with a clang, and sidled off the alter and up to the back door. All hope of revenge and justice lost, the poor girl let a little tear spill down her blue cheek, not having to worry about him seeing anymore now that his back was turned.

But then a miracle happened. Barkis clutched his chest and slumped against the door, choking. "Not anymore." Maggot snickered. Gasping the monster turned around, revealing his new blue skin and the fact that he was now dead.

Suddenly, Emily felt some contradictory emotions. Of course she was overjoyed and relieved that the fucker was dead and couldn't hurt anyone anymore, but at the same time she was worried and a bit frightened of what they would do to him, mainly because she didn't want to be caught in the middle of it. So she quickly got out of their way and joined Victor and Victoria, and it was a very good thing that she did because otherwise she would've gotten very messy.

"Yep, you're right. He's all yours." Elder said, letting everyone go and cackling gleefully, the angry dead descended onto Barkis with Bonaparte fingering his sword in a suggestive manner. Screaming in terror, Barkis tried desperately to open the door, but he was stopped when Plum took the sword from Bonaparte and slashed open his throat, a crimson fountain spurted from the wound and spattered across the door. While the monster screamed, choked and drowned in his own blood, Alfred reached into his gaping mouth and ripped out his tongue, (arguably the true source of all the pain he had caused) the blood staining his skull. Bonaparte grabbed a leg and yanked hard, ripping it straight out of the socket, spraying more blood across the stone floor, then he did the same with the other leg soaking the floor in more blood and putting Barkis at their mercy on the floor. Now with full access, the dead tore into him like feral zombies; Mayhew tore off both arms and Plum disemboweled him, laying the bloody entrails on the floor. Then all together, they tore out his snowy hair by the roots and Bonaparte severed his ugly head with his sword, and then they all emptied that out too.

Meanwhile our three heroes were huddled together against the wall. Emily watched in horror her already huge eyes like teacups and her pretty mouth hanging open. _Holy fuck. In the five years I've known them, I NEVER thought them capable of this kind of violence. Thank god I thought to get out of the way or his blood would be staining my hands... as well as everything else._ She felt sickened, but somehow _couldn't_ make herself look away.

Victoria on the other hand most certainty _ could._ Horrified the poor little girl clutched her beloved's arm, leaned against his shoulder and covered her eyes.

Victor was the only one who barley reacted, probably because after all of the horror he had witnessed in the past two days, he was basically numb to this kind of thing by now.

The others gathered up the pieces of Barkis and headed through the back door to go back to limbo. Plum was the last to go, pausing in the doorway briefly. "New arrival." She announced, then closed the door and followed the others.


	24. Free at last

Once the door closed and everything had calmed down, Elder recorked the poison bottle and set the goblet upright again.

Victoria wrapped her boyfriend in her arms and rested her left hand on his chest. "Oh Victor, I never thought I'd see you again!" She cooed warmly, a happy little tear rolling down her cheek.

Victor wound his arm around her and beamed down at her as she rubbed her hand up and down his chest, savoring her warmth as a tear of joy ran down his own cheek. There was no doubt in his mind or his heart that _she_ was his true love and now that he finally had her back he was _never_ going to let her go again.

Watching them, Emily gave a bittersweet half smile. _Such a beautiful couple, just like I've always read about. They look so happy together and you know what? I'm happy for them. They deserve to be happy and I'm not going to hold them back anymore than I already have. I'll miss them terribly, but it's time for me to go, I'm finally ready to cross over._ Turning towards the exit, she began to slowly walk away, the moonlight casting a glow on her again; she could feel bittersweet tears misting in her eyes again and didn't feel the need to try to hold them back anymore. _Why fucking bother? They're the last tears I'll ever have to shed, at least I hope so._

Victor looked up and saw Emily leaving. "Wait! I made a promise!" He said, letting go of Victoria and following her with his hand held up. Even though he had Victoria back, he was still willing to die for her for two simple reasons: she was his _best_ friend and he _loved_ her.

His kind words melted Emily's heart and made the tears flow down her blue-tinged cheeks. _He has such a pure heart, I think I'll miss him most of all._ She turned around and smiled at him her dark eyes gleaming. "You _kept_ your promise, you sent me _free."_ She told him lovingly. She carefully removed the ring and taking his hand one last time, placed it in his palm and gently curled his fingers around it so it was held tight in his fist. _Oh, how I'll miss the feel of his warm smooth skin._ "Now I can do the _same_ for you." She finished kindly, tears shining like jewels on her pretty lashes. It was true he had set her free in more ways than one, but also not in the way she used to think he would. When she made that vow five years ago, she thought that her unfinished business was that she needed to find true love and get married, but that wasn't true. Her _real_ unfinished business was learning to be selfless which she learned by finding true love, but not the kind she had expected to find. Victor was the only one smart enough to see her flaws and brave enough to force her to confront herself for who she really was: a naïve, stupid, selfish, spoiled little brat who loved and trusted too easily and was shackled by her own ego. He had also been the only one who understood her pain and even when she didn't believe him and kept trying to push him away, he had been selfless and stuck by her the whole time until he won her back and in doing so had taught her to be selfless and given her something _real_ to fight for instead of clinging to a dream like she had been for five years. This had been the true love she needed all along, not a husband or a lover but a best friend who had set her free from her own ego. He also set her free from Barkis which had been the other part of her unfinished business and now she could finally go to heaven like she had always wanted to. She loved him enough to let him go and be with the one he really loved, he set her free with his selflessness, and now she _really_ could do the same for him. Then she bravely turned around and started walking again. Sucking in an unneeded breath, she held up her bouquet and walked towards the door, her hair and veil blowing in the cool wind and her teary eyes focused on the moon which looked brighter and bluer than the night before and she knew why. The beautiful blue light it was casting wasn't just moonlight anymore; it was the light, the one that would take her to heaven and she felt herself being pulled to it, like a moth to a flame. The fluttering in her chest had returned but this time it felt different, this was gentle, comforting, even liberating.

The lovers watched her go, robed in each others arms. Victor was sad to see her go for he knew he would miss her very much, but at the same time he was very happy for her because he knew she would be out of pain and at peace. He thought back to his conversation with Widow, about how he said he would try to give her what she always wanted and the happiness that she deserved and now that he thought about it, he had done just that. He knew from her song that she hated feeling and being in pain and now that her soul was about to be free, she wouldn't have to feel that anymore and would be getting the happiness she deserved. He also felt very proud of her for choosing to let him go instead of taking him up on his offer. That kind of sacrifice took great kindness and courage and he'd be forever grateful to her for it.

Maggot climbed up onto an old lady's shoulder to watch his best friend leave, his feelings were the same as Victor's: he was sad to see her go and knew he would miss her terribly, but at the same time he was happy for her because she wouldn't be suffering anymore. She had always been _ his little girl, _but he had to accept that she was a _ woman _now and he had to let her go.

Pausing in the doorway, Emily turned and looked over her shoulder, more tears trickling down her cheeks. Victor and Victoria started back, holding each other and looking like the figures on top of a wedding cake. Then Emily smiled a bittersweet smile and decided to give them one last gift to remember her by. _ After all, it's not like I'll be needing this up in heaven._ Turning back around, she held her blue flowers in front of her and tossed them back over her shoulder.

The bouquet sailed backwards and was caught by the little old lady. She gasped and then saw Maggot on her shoulder; he gave her a cocky smile and chuckled suggestively. She freaked out and threw the bouquet backwards.

Emily smiled back at them, feeling her eyes getting moist again. _I've got to get out of here before I start bawling or I'll never be able to leave._ She thought, then she turned and stepped out into the cold night. Feeling the fresh air on her face for the last time, she held her arms out at her sides and looked into the blinding moonlight, the fluttering spread all over her body, but she wasn't scared at all, instead she felt perfectly happy. Beaming, she closed her eyes and exhaled the breath she had been holding all this time and as she did her soul was finally free. Instantly her body dissolved into millions of beautiful blue and white butterflies that flew up to the moon.

Victor and Victoria came out and saw the butterflies flying up into the sky; smiling Victor wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close and leaning their heads together. They watched as the butterflies flew into the moonlight, knowing that their friend was finally at peace. They held each other until the butterflies disappeared then they broke apart and gazed at each other longingly, Victoria gently dropped the flowers and wrapped her arms around Victor again. "I love you Victor." She beamed.

"I love you too, Victoria." He replied and leaning down, pulled her into the same dreamy, passionate kiss he had shared with Emily, except this time he was the one to put his tongue in first and she was quick to follow.

Victoria locked her arms around his waist, pressing herself as close to him as she could, her eyes closed again.

Victor put one hand at the small of her back and gently trended the fingers of his other hand into the chestnut silk at the back of her head under her veil, locking her warm little body to his. As they kissed for what felt like ages, he realized he had his answer: Victoria _ was _as _ good _a kisser as Emily had been and he couldn't have been happier that she was, _not_ that it would've mattered _anyway._


	25. Epilogue

Victor and Victoria were married that very night. After their kiss, they went back into the church and had Elder marry them, and he was very glad to do so; they saw no reason to wait as they were already dressed and didn't want to be apart for another day. There were barely any guests, but that was just fine with them; even after all they've been through, they were both still somewhat shy. The wedding was prefect, even though their families weren't there. They were being married by a skeleton and they had to use the communion wine and that was for one simple reason: they were finally together again and that's all that mattered.

Speaking of their families, they didn't fair as well as our heroes did. Nell and Will came down with very bad colds from being out in the cold for so long and being the shitty people that they are, they, of course, blamed it on their son. Once they were better they cut all ties with him and never spoke to him again.

Victor, of course, was hurt by this at first, but he pretty quickly realized that they weren't worth it and he didn't need them anymore and likewise cut all ties with them, which means they _never_ got to meet their granddaughter. Yes, _granddaughter._ Even though Emily was gone, Victor and Victoria never forgot her or her sacrifice and when they had a daughter, a beautiful little girl with his black hair and her brown eyes, they named her Emily to honor their brave beautiful friend.

Victoria's parents faired better then Victor's did, but not in the way that really matters; The shock and fright of seeing the dead gave them both minor heart attacks and once they were better, they wanted to get the fuck out of the village and never come back, but as they were still broke they had to go to their now rich daughter for money, which was very humiliating for them.

She briefly considered refusing them and just letting them rot in the poorhouse for she had never been able to forgive them for forcing her to marry Barkis, as well as all the other abuse and neglect they put her through, but unlike them she had a conscience so instead she gave them a small fortune to live off on the condition that they cut all ties with her and never spoke to her or her husband again. They readily agreed and she never saw them again after that day, which means they also never met their grandchild.

The one person who didn't abandon Victoria was Hilda; once she found out what the Everglots had done, she quit and came to live with Victor and Victoria in the Everglot mansion (the only reason she stayed with the Everglots after they lost their money was because she loved Victoria far too much to leave her) and they made her Emily's godmother. Scraps also came to live with them instead of going back to The Land Of The Dead since Emily was gone and he never wanted to be parted from Victor again.

As for Pastor, the shock of being owned by the dead gave him a minor stroke and when he had recovered, he also got the fuck out of the village and never came back, and he was soon replaced by another priest and a much nicer one at that.

Now on to limbo. First Barkis, not much to say about him aside from after the dead dismembered the rest of him, he was cooked into a celebratory stew and eaten, and that was the end of him.

As for the rest of the dead, of course they missed their little princess, but she did visit them in their dreams on occasion just to let them know that she was safe and happy in heaven and that she loved and missed them. That always brought them some comfort.

Maggot and Widow became a couple; they had feelings for each other for years but could never act on them because Emily took up all their time. But now that she was gone, they could finally date, plus Maggot needed someone to keep him in line now that Emily was gone. Like the dead, they missed her terribly, but also like them she visited them in their dreams to let them know that their little girl was safe and that she loved them.

Victor and Victoria were the same. They were also visited by their dear friend and once their daughter was old enough to understand, she was also visited by the beautiful woman who she was named after. But even though the visits comforted the lovers, they never stopped missing her and for the rest of their long, long lives whenever they saw a butterfly or looked at the moonlight, they couldn't help thinking of her.

As for Emily herself... well as I said, she was perfectly happy in heaven. She never had to be sad or shed tears ever again for her little corner of heaven was filled with all the things she loved in life including her mother and all because she stopped taking the easy way out.

And so this tragic tale of romance, passion and a murder most foul ends how all fairy tales should. They all lived and unlived happily ever after.

_ The End. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> credit to VioletRose13-Art for helping me write this and stormqueen93 for giving me the title and to WarAndPeacePlussLove for helping me fix this part

**Author's Note:**

> credit to VioletRose13-Art for helping me write this and stormqueen93 for giving me the title


End file.
